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 Birmingham, AL 35212

Birmingham: median income $36,633, home value $232,100, $188/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lynchburg, VA 24501 84%502$42,222$174,900$161 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Saint Paul, MN 55103 84%859$48,390$257,500$205 pricier homes ($25K more)
Gretna, LA 70053 84%317$39,950$241,300$148 larger · 6 min longer commute
Atlanta, GA 30314 83%134$42,089$251,700$191 larger · 9 min longer commute
Cocoa, FL 32922 82%504$44,469$217,400$184 older residents
Norfolk, VA 23504 81%634$44,659$269,400$182 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Portsmouth, VA 23707 81%630$48,926$230,800$178 Very close on everything we compare
Jackson, MS 39202 81%216$38,554$222,100$135 more renters
Albuquerque, NM 87102 81%1,139$42,990$197,300$230 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Pensacola, FL 32501 80%217$44,139$287,900$228 pricier homes ($56K more) · older residents
Lexington, KY 40504 80%335$46,055$222,600$184 larger
Fort Wayne, IN 46802 80%528$46,854$184,800$150 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Albuquerque, NM 87108 80%1,135$42,724$243,200$193 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Portsmouth, VA 23704 79%631$49,583$230,300$175 larger
Cincinnati, OH 45237 79%410$44,913$170,600$150 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · older residents
New Orleans, LA 70114 79%315$43,493$206,700$150 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · older residents
Dallas, TX 75215 78%582$45,557$190,100$172 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
San Antonio, TX 78202 78%746$47,478$234,700$173 older residents
Columbia, SC 29204 77%332$50,189$199,600$166 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · more homeowners
Savannah, GA 31415 77%342$37,109$149,700$167 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Kansas City, KS 66103 77%581$52,479$148,400$199 cheaper homes ($84K less)
New Orleans, LA 70117 77%313$45,764$260,000$162 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · older residents
Oklahoma City, OK 73105 77%627$50,102$162,000$185 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller
Houston, TX 77021 77%572$45,574$227,900$152 larger · 9 min longer commute
Galveston, TX 77550 77%557$45,047$325,900$222 pricier homes ($94K more) · 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.