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 Clemson, SC 29631

Clemson: median income $48,800, home value $400,400, $214/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bloomington, IN 47408 92%373$45,644$346,900$188 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Laramie, WY 82072 88%1,313$53,863$324,100$200 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Storrs Mansfield, CT 06268 87%755$55,219$348,600$220 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Pullman, WA 99163 86%1,962$48,231$435,900$228 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Boone, NC 28607 84%124$46,639$378,600$314 larger
Oxford, OH 45056 83%350$49,233$250,700$188 cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger
West Lafayette, IN 47906 83%457$53,103$323,200$186 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger
East Lansing, MI 48823 83%564$52,018$282,600$173 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Ames, IA 50014 83%777$60,731$336,800$211 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Iowa City, IA 52246 83%675$62,521$348,900$176 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
Blacksburg, VA 24060 81%222$67,675$447,600$237 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger
Athens, GA 30605 81%60$50,062$314,200$203 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger
Morgantown, WV 26505 80%378$45,536$278,000$170 cheaper homes ($122K less) · larger
Gainesville, FL 32607 80%349$45,987$321,900$180 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Columbia, MO 65201 79%601$48,113$248,400$184 cheaper homes ($152K less) · larger
Fayetteville, AR 72701 79%645$55,506$355,300$218 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Eugene, OR 97403 79%2,220$45,417$592,200$330 pricier homes ($192K more) · older homes
Gainesville, FL 32608 77%351$61,588$358,200$206 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger · older residents
Orono, ME 04473 76%1,026$61,528$272,600$198 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller · less walkable
State College, PA 16801 76%502$61,836$414,600$228 larger · more walkable
Athens, OH 45701 76%323$53,075$227,400$153 cheaper homes ($173K less) · larger
Moscow, ID 83843 76%1,953$59,444$380,600$257 larger · older residents · less walkable
Wilmington, NC 28403 75%283$54,547$386,700$277 larger · older residents · more walkable
Stillwater, OK 74075 75%807$46,053$228,100$161 cheaper homes ($172K less) · larger
Iowa City, IA 52240 74%672$52,960$242,300$181 cheaper homes ($158K less) · 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.