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 Lehigh Acres, FL 33936

Lehigh Acres: median income $51,417, home value $240,300, $169/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Picayune, MS 39466 83%558$52,765$173,400$139 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Bonne Terre, MO 63628 83%938$63,602$189,100$144 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Decatur, GA 30034 81%514$63,517$251,400$135 Very close on everything we compare
Waverly, TN 37185 81%750$51,314$181,800$192 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · less walkable
Saint Clair, MO 63077 81%974$56,281$178,200$171 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Orange, MA 01364 80%1,227$55,532$247,800$207 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
De Soto, MO 63020 80%949$70,824$185,900$172 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Dallas, TX 75241 80%999$53,998$192,000$163 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Romney, WV 26757 79%897$57,212$213,200$173 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · less walkable
Kelseyville, CA 95451 79%2,512$62,568$352,000$211 pricier homes ($112K more) · smaller
Stroudsburg, PA 18360 78%1,060$71,481$312,900$197 pricier homes ($73K more)
Seaford, DE 19973 78%903$64,387$278,300$202 pricier homes ($38K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Oxford, NC 27565 78%696$56,432$204,000$180 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 8 min shorter commute · less walkable
Oneonta, AL 35121 78%582$60,177$179,900$130 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Georgetown, OH 45121 78%858$60,188$164,600$185 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · less walkable
West Union, OH 45693 78%850$43,977$181,800$127 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · less walkable
Mineola, TX 75773 78%929$58,138$245,600$160 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Bowie, TX 76230 78%1,078$66,641$220,600$145 smaller · less walkable
Tappahannock, VA 22560 77%830$61,082$246,600$195 smaller · less walkable
Lafayette, TN 37083 77%733$61,843$239,500$188 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Clearlake, CA 95422 77%2,505$42,241$217,000$201 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more walkable
Sweet Home, OR 97386 77%2,581$64,669$331,600$262 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Erwin, NC 28339 76%629$50,313$165,100$154 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Chester, SC 29706 76%562$51,230$158,800$163 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 8 min shorter commute · less walkable
Rockmart, GA 30153 76%550$57,377$215,000$179 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.