OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

Reset

Towns most like Adair, IA 50002

Adair: median income $79,071, home value $237,700, $139/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mead, NE 68041 96%98$74,000$251,300— Very close on everything we compare
Glidden, IA 51443 95%38$78,906$191,000$139 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Pleasant Hill, OH 45359 94%548$77,083$208,700$140 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Marcus, IA 51035 94%108$79,338$209,700$109 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Lake Park, IA 51347 94%138$82,750$201,600$157 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Albion, NE 68620 94%174$83,450$231,700$169 larger
Grace, ID 83241 93%879$71,298$215,200$182 larger
Cedarville, NJ 08311 92%1,032$86,324$247,600$137 Very close on everything we compare
New Berlin, PA 17855 92%917$88,929$216,700$151 Very close on everything we compare
Elkader, IA 52043 92%189$76,705$165,000$131 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Harmony, MN 55939 92%195$70,855$198,800$120 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Alden, MN 56009 92%157$80,804$203,700$108 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Ponca, NE 68770 92%129$71,607$199,400$143 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Sterling, OH 44276 91%666$86,583$231,300$152 newer homes
Rockwell, IA 50469 91%126$71,250$211,700$97 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Hartley, IA 51346 91%123$72,426$156,800$127 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Earlville, IA 52041 91%187$89,697$188,800$115 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Alcester, SD 57001 91%145$69,531$177,400$166 cheaper homes ($60K less)
New England, ND 58647 91%533$84,583$227,300$133 older residents
Osceola, NE 68651 91%153$78,487$191,300$99 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Pierce, NE 68767 91%156$81,761$233,500$138 larger
Stanley, NY 14561 90%900$77,857$195,700$152 cheaper homes ($42K less) · more homeowners
Saint Ansgar, IA 50472 90%157$93,482$204,100$112 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Fort Atkinson, IA 52144 90%179$84,609$217,500$101 Very close on everything we compare
Darien, WI 53114 90%311$72,708$241,000$159 newer homes

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Columbus, OH? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched