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.

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Towns most like Pierce, NE 68767

Pierce: median income $81,761, home value $233,500, $138/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lancaster, WI 53813 93%350$84,004$220,400$118 larger
Mapleton, MN 56065 93%217$92,933$223,100$146 Very close on everything we compare
Abernathy, TX 79311 93%623$81,985$176,800$131 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Woodville, OH 43469 92%730$86,410$205,500$161 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Pleasant Hill, OH 45359 92%701$77,083$208,700$140 smaller
Monroe, IA 50170 92%232$88,704$217,000$149 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Ansgar, IA 50472 92%248$93,482$204,100$112 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Grundy Center, IA 50638 92%243$85,223$185,200$135 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Glidden, IA 51443 92%144$78,906$191,000$139 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Le Center, MN 56057 92%244$91,250$248,300$161 Very close on everything we compare
Camp Point, IL 62320 92%367$77,143$167,400$138 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Halstead, KS 67056 92%289$78,958$169,200$111 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Versailles, OH 45380 91%690$84,135$235,300$139 larger · older residents
Pandora, OH 45877 91%706$68,665$179,200$145 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Adair, IA 50002 91%156$79,071$237,700$139 smaller
Roland, IA 50236 91%206$85,046$198,900$179 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Shell Rock, IA 50670 91%254$84,679$171,500$134 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Cuba City, WI 53807 91%361$77,887$225,500$158 newer homes
Cedarville, NJ 08311 90%1,181$86,324$247,600$137 smaller
Turbotville, PA 17772 90%1,073$81,146$241,900$136 newer homes
Burton, OH 44021 90%843$82,008$242,900$170 larger · 5 min longer commute
Botkins, OH 45306 90%702$86,354$255,600$157 smaller · newer homes
Enon, OH 45323 90%725$80,781$187,900$168 cheaper homes ($46K less)
La Porte City, IA 50651 90%273$88,333$187,600$134 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 5 min longer commute
Kingsley, IA 51028 90%84$78,000$219,600$202 smaller

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.