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 Columbia, SC 29204

Columbia: median income $50,189, home value $199,600, $166/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oklahoma City, OK 73112 93%945$58,419$196,400$156 larger
Chattanooga, TN 37411 92%251$56,579$232,300$162 pricier homes ($33K more)
Fort Wayne, IN 46805 91%538$52,154$154,200$147 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Savannah, GA 31404 90%136$53,303$215,500$209 larger
Tulsa, OK 74145 90%853$58,706$171,800$137 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Corpus Christi, TX 78411 90%1,063$57,742$184,700$143 Very close on everything we compare
Louisville, KY 40213 88%389$55,897$173,600$169 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Toledo, OH 43614 88%543$58,961$168,400$141 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Omaha, NE 68104 88%960$60,549$168,100$158 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Amarillo, TX 79106 88%1,189$59,493$174,400$134 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Memphis, TN 38112 87%516$55,207$252,100$130 pricier homes ($53K more) · older homes
Lansing, MI 48910 87%629$54,712$129,000$130 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
Wichita, KS 67208 87%945$60,914$183,300$126 older homes
New Orleans, LA 70122 87%599$49,455$283,900$161 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger · older residents
Portsmouth, VA 23707 86%326$48,926$230,800$178 pricier homes ($31K more)
Roanoke, VA 24012 86%234$52,973$184,400$143 larger
Memphis, TN 38111 86%514$52,589$190,100$136 larger · more renters
Kansas City, MO 64131 86%827$64,201$234,200$175 pricier homes ($35K more)
Tulsa, OK 74112 86%854$58,951$160,800$153 cheaper homes ($39K less)
San Antonio, TX 78202 86%1,072$47,478$234,700$173 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Lexington, KY 40505 85%339$58,206$179,200$170 older residents
Beech Grove, IN 46107 85%483$56,799$181,100$126 Very close on everything we compare
Indianapolis, IN 46203 85%485$57,393$168,200$137 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Oshkosh, WI 54902 85%798$65,612$170,800$180 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Topeka, KS 66611 85%884$55,837$156,600$122 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 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.