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 Columbus, GA 31907

Columbus: median income $54,453, home value $158,000, $123/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fayetteville, NC 28304 96%383$58,563$172,000$146 smaller
Jacksonville, AR 72076 96%449$54,379$163,600$127 smaller
Muskogee, OK 74403 96%638$56,689$157,900$122 smaller
Dothan, AL 36301 95%96$50,125$164,100$131 Very close on everything we compare
Hopkinsville, KY 42240 95%337$51,534$174,200$160 Very close on everything we compare
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 95%431$51,152$151,600$109 smaller
Springfield, MO 65803 95%579$50,572$173,500$149 Very close on everything we compare
Sumter, SC 29150 94%281$50,965$169,700$133 smaller
Lawton, OK 73505 94%794$58,272$158,200$109 Very close on everything we compare
Decatur, AL 35601 93%189$51,429$172,200$134 smaller
Dothan, AL 36303 93%89$54,147$182,600$127 smaller
Henderson, KY 42420 93%399$57,053$170,300$142 smaller
Springfield, MO 65802 93%577$55,019$171,200$167 Very close on everything we compare
Bossier City, LA 71112 93%512$61,760$188,400$148 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Corsicana, TX 75110 93%677$57,370$174,100$137 smaller
Goldsboro, NC 27530 92%438$54,504$200,300$148 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Corinth, MS 38834 92%269$50,356$151,700$122 smaller
Columbus, MS 39702 92%212$54,650$144,100$125 smaller
Carthage, MO 64836 92%624$61,335$164,400$141 smaller
Shreveport, LA 71118 92%519$50,287$170,600$113 smaller
Ardmore, OK 73401 92%718$61,989$200,200$127 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Mcalester, OK 74501 92%646$57,922$164,000$122 smaller
Clovis, NM 88101 92%1,063$56,587$172,300$138 5 min shorter commute
Dyersburg, TN 38024 91%355$57,061$175,600$130 smaller · older residents
Madisonville, KY 42431 91%366$54,905$160,700$113 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.