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 Fayetteville, NC 28301

Fayetteville: median income $39,198, home value $122,400, $146/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Spartanburg, SC 29306 90%172$41,356$177,500$152 pricier homes ($55K more)
Brunswick, GA 31520 90%309$40,071$147,500$155 pricier homes ($25K more)
Pontiac, MI 48340 88%576$47,891$119,900$116 larger
Fort Smith, AR 72901 87%876$42,851$118,100$113 older homes
Laredo, TX 78040 87%1,321$36,092$118,700$151 larger
Gulfport, MS 39501 86%676$34,758$121,800$92 Very close on everything we compare
Pascagoula, MS 39581 86%648$37,927$153,100$91 pricier homes ($31K more)
Pontiac, MI 48342 86%574$35,253$101,300$99 Very close on everything we compare
Lawton, OK 73501 86%1,104$49,741$133,000$119 Very close on everything we compare
Valdosta, GA 31601 85%394$36,111$142,200$141 larger · more homeowners · newer homes
Jackson, TN 38301 85%561$43,227$132,900$128 larger · more homeowners
Florence, SC 29506 84%74$40,311$123,300$148 more homeowners
Macon, GA 31204 84%315$38,784$135,300$89 larger
Savannah, GA 31408 84%244$45,839$169,700$159 pricier homes ($47K more)
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 84%656$41,127$134,300$120 larger
Nacogdoches, TX 75961 84%933$41,495$141,200— more homeowners · newer homes
El Paso, TX 79904 84%1,599$41,841$127,100$142 larger · more walkable
Pahokee, FL 33476 83%580$36,652$154,900$155 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Orangeburg, SC 29115 82%157$37,751$102,000$114 larger · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Columbia, SC 29203 82%141$46,054$141,300$148 larger · more homeowners · more walkable
Spartanburg, SC 29303 82%172$48,295$159,500$137 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · more homeowners
Albany, GA 31705 82%386$42,972$102,900$91 larger · more homeowners
Tifton, GA 31794 82%365$46,056$130,100$123 larger · more homeowners
Baton Rouge, LA 70802 82%782$34,458$99,800$102 younger residents
Lubbock, TX 79415 82%1,313$36,468$96,400$139 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents · 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.