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 Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

Tuscaloosa: median income $29,152, home value $144,500, $227/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bryan, TX 77801 76%546$39,846$162,300$162 smaller · newer homes
Las Cruces, NM 88001 76%1,115$33,087$163,800$154 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Waco, TX 76706 73%570$41,656$197,000$174 pricier homes ($53K more) · more homeowners
Athens, GA 30601 70%248$39,219$215,400$365 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · older residents
Lexington, KY 40508 70%377$29,440$182,800$240 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · more walkable
Tallahassee, FL 32304 69%269$32,348$150,900$148 more renters · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Lubbock, TX 79415 69%825$36,468$96,400$139 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · older residents
Springfield, MO 65806 68%426$28,165$88,600$138 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · more renters
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 64%637$43,639$208,600$159 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller
College Station, TX 77840 64%543$30,377$244,800$178 pricier homes ($100K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Carbondale, IL 62901 62%326$35,089$146,600$99 smaller
Greensboro, NC 27401 61%485$47,972$156,500$177 smaller · older residents
Dekalb, IL 60115 61%605$47,043$208,600$172 pricier homes ($64K more) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Baton Rouge, LA 70802 61%285$34,458$99,800$102 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · older residents
Waco, TX 76704 60%569$30,349$134,900$138 smaller · older residents · more single-family homes
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 59%165$41,127$134,300$120 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Lexington, KY 40504 59%375$46,055$222,600$184 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller · older residents
Arlington, TX 76010 59%553$45,466$217,800$182 pricier homes ($73K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Daytona Beach, FL 32114 58%474$41,736$199,500$166 pricier homes ($55K more) · older residents · more walkable
Ruston, LA 71270 58%298$36,791$222,300$161 pricier homes ($78K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Lubbock, TX 79401 58%825$26,980$105,600$114 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Denton, TX 76201 57%553$39,982$257,700$188 pricier homes ($113K more) · more walkable
Laredo, TX 78040 56%812$36,092$118,700$151 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Winston-Salem, NC 27101 55%463$44,198$221,000$154 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · older residents
Fayetteville, NC 28301 55%513$39,198$122,400$146 smaller · older 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.