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 Charleston, WV 25301

Charleston: median income $25,417, home value $196,900, $145/sq ft, 11-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chattanooga, TN 37402 49%306$24,214$268,800$332 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · younger residents
Buffalo, NY 14204 48%345$28,182$152,400$150 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · younger residents
Jacksonville, FL 32202 48%554$34,825$268,800$159 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · younger residents
South Bend, IN 46601 48%335$30,789$145,000$96 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · younger residents
Springfield, MA 01103 46%543$21,355$185,700$172 younger residents · more walkable · older homes
Mobile, AL 36602 44%643$41,420$316,400$211 pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Louisville, KY 40202 43%223$35,584$257,300$258 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · younger residents
Cincinnati, OH 45229 43%164$32,263$285,900$133 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · younger residents
Amarillo, TX 79101 38%1,137$47,759$167,600$91 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Memphis, TN 38105 37%515$34,015$90,200$92 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger · younger residents
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 36%585$35,060$157,100$198 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Peoria, IL 61602 36%454$33,750$231,000$103 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · younger residents
New Orleans, LA 70113 36%755$39,333$305,800$141 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger · younger residents
Fresno, CA 93721 36%2,078$40,033$243,800$157 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · younger residents
North Little Rock, AR 72114 34%639$30,175$130,000$85 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · younger residents
Montgomery, AL 36104 33%490$33,823$172,700$104 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Muskegon, MI 49440 33%415$46,808$176,400$193 smaller · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Macon, GA 31201 32%399$29,420$171,400$88 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Lexington, KY 40507 32%157$41,329$328,600$323 pricier homes ($132K more) · 5 min longer commute · more walkable
Corpus Christi, TX 78401 32%1,166$40,841$77,500$99 cheaper homes ($119K less) · larger · younger residents
Louisville, KY 40203 31%225$30,794$197,300$145 larger · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Lansing, MI 48933 31%340$33,589$112,900$83 cheaper homes ($84K less) · younger residents
Reno, NV 89501 31%2,038$33,963$414,000$352 pricier homes ($217K more) · 13 min longer commute · more walkable
Toledo, OH 43620 30%251$23,483$131,300$67 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · younger residents
Cincinnati, OH 45203 30%165$21,973$356,900$185 pricier homes ($160K more) · younger residents · 12 min longer commute

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.