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 Gainesville, GA 30501

Gainesville: median income $64,175, home value $297,800, $189/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Grand Prairie, TX 75050 94%766$73,274$240,700$180 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Arlington, TX 76014 94%772$60,333$234,600$166 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Euless, TX 76040 93%770$72,661$297,900$195 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Cloud, MN 56304 91%948$58,148$251,500$147 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Arlington, TX 76015 91%774$73,709$256,900$193 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Gastonia, NC 28054 90%166$61,035$245,100$174 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Columbus, OH 43228 89%393$61,713$219,900$186 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Greeley, CO 80631 89%1,216$54,591$336,600$209 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Jacksonville, FL 32277 87%302$61,554$283,000$178 more homeowners
Hurst, TX 76053 87%775$64,141$270,900$196 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more homeowners
Yakima, WA 98901 87%2,083$57,392$279,600$217 more homeowners
Newport News, VA 23608 86%453$71,126$266,500$198 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more homeowners
Madison, TN 37115 86%211$54,566$307,500$220 older residents
Houston, TX 77040 86%750$65,028$244,700$152 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · more homeowners
Salisbury, MD 21804 85%539$73,156$243,700$164 cheaper homes ($54K less) · more homeowners
Winchester, VA 22601 85%459$64,258$339,800$209 pricier homes ($42K more)
Grand Prairie, TX 75051 85%767$58,245$227,400$190 cheaper homes ($70K less) · more homeowners
Pasadena, TX 77504 85%739$51,478$227,400$146 cheaper homes ($70K less)
San Antonio, TX 78217 85%916$60,988$242,300$150 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older residents · more walkable
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 85%1,834$60,901$247,700$194 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Lancaster, CA 93534 85%1,945$61,866$375,200$296 pricier homes ($77K more)
Jacksonville, FL 32216 84%308$61,821$266,500$181 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more walkable
Orlando, FL 32810 84%417$60,799$281,100$215 more homeowners
Memphis, TN 38134 84%348$60,622$207,000$145 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Columbus, OH 43229 84%402$57,561$228,200$180 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · more walkable

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.