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 California, PA 15419

California: median income $43,813, home value $126,000, $110/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Topeka, KS 66619 84%846$51,528$89,900$104 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents
Carbondale, IL 62903 71%531$46,818$170,000$106 pricier homes ($44K more) · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Commerce, TX 75428 69%1,003$51,424$162,500$127 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · older residents
Tuskegee Institute, AL 36088 68%620$35,125$107,300$56 more single-family homes
Greensboro, NC 27401 67%276$47,972$156,500$177 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · older residents
Pascagoula, MS 39581 67%828$37,927$153,100$91 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · older residents
Kalamazoo, MI 49007 67%334$39,344$111,300$106 larger · older residents · more renters
Baton Rouge, LA 70802 66%919$34,458$99,800$102 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · older residents
Lubbock, TX 79414 66%1,295$49,057$157,500$105 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · older residents
Midway Park, NC 28544 65%395$52,354$141,700$172 older residents · newer homes
North Chicago, IL 60064 65%442$49,195$152,200$156 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · older residents
Wichita, KS 67210 65%948$59,082$182,300$155 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · older residents
Americus, GA 31709 64%604$41,531$139,800$74 larger · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Livingston, AL 35470 64%692$29,475$138,700$120 larger · more homeowners · newer homes
Troy, AL 36081 64%664$44,375$198,800$113 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · newer homes
Lubbock, TX 79411 64%1,291$47,634$133,900$97 larger · older residents · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45204 63%258$31,236$95,400$121 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · older residents
Kansas City, KS 66103 63%787$52,479$148,400$199 larger · older residents · more walkable
Lubbock, TX 79415 63%1,291$36,468$96,400$139 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · older residents
Tallahassee, FL 32310 62%713$38,288$132,200$153 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Pahokee, FL 33476 62%916$36,652$154,900$155 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · older residents
Pippa Passes, KY 41844 62%247$31,690$73,900— cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · newer homes
Kincheloe, MI 49788 62%486$57,524$112,200$70 older residents · less walkable
Oklahoma City, OK 73105 62%1,009$50,102$162,000$185 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · older residents
Fayetteville, NC 28301 61%349$39,198$122,400$146 larger · older residents

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.