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.

Reset

Towns most like Lakeland, FL 33815

Lakeland: median income $37,487, home value $39,500, $231/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Window Rock, AZ 86515 46%1,667$47,336$57,100— smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Anderson, SC 29624 44%443$30,549$76,900$150 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Mount Vernon, GA 30445 44%288$32,392$76,100$167 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · younger residents
Martin, KY 41649 44%659$36,023$67,100— pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · older residents
Carrizo Springs, TX 78834 44%1,086$39,477$87,700$165 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · younger residents
Tucson, AZ 85705 44%1,750$37,194$122,700$217 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger · younger residents
Union Springs, AL 36089 43%359$24,109$73,000$210 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Kayenta, AZ 86033 43%1,746$40,313$36,200— smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Willacoochee, GA 31650 42%236$45,106$62,500— smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Holly Hill, SC 29059 41%377$38,698$85,000$181 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
East Saint Louis, IL 62204 41%867$35,346$47,800— smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Robert Lee, TX 76945 41%1,137$36,731$67,000$166 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
El Paso, TX 79907 41%1,476$41,617$117,800$137 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · younger residents
Baxley, GA 31513 40%259$46,203$76,100$119 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Gould, AR 71643 40%701$32,899$45,000— smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Desert Hot Springs, CA 92241 40%2,065$46,888$124,000$242 pricier homes ($85K more) · smaller · older residents
Oglethorpe, GA 31068 39%318$30,352$69,400— pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Ashburn, GA 31714 39%271$33,287$94,200$146 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · younger residents
Pineville, KY 40977 39%607$37,917$85,600$140 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Topeka, KS 66608 39%1,094$49,126$87,500$112 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Vance, SC 29163 38%382$33,971$68,000$256 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Burton, MI 48529 38%1,035$41,333$86,700$113 pricier homes ($47K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Harvey, IL 60426 38%990$42,196$91,000$107 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · younger residents
Corpus Christi, TX 78408 38%942$41,045$88,400$93 pricier homes ($49K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more renters
Sunland Park, NM 88063 38%1,492$41,975$115,500$169 pricier homes ($76K more) · younger residents · more single-family 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.