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 Madison, AL 35757

Madison: median income $106,175, home value $337,000, $174/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Andover, KS 67002 94%612$104,351$290,700$150 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Lexington, KY 40514 93%252$95,914$315,500$197 older homes
Kansas City, MO 64155 92%532$97,471$300,900$189 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Papillion, NE 68046 92%670$116,907$360,000$179 larger
Omaha, NE 68116 92%681$121,165$342,200$172 larger
Bixby, OK 74008 92%521$104,000$337,000$172 larger
Jenks, OK 74037 92%527$103,942$301,900$172 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Fort Wayne, IN 46845 91%452$112,676$339,200$168 larger
Appleton, WI 54913 91%667$105,385$393,400$212 pricier homes ($56K more)
Papillion, NE 68133 91%669$134,426$388,300$170 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($51K more)
San Antonio, TX 78259 91%770$114,156$380,800$171 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Amarillo, TX 79119 91%862$114,432$366,000$191 pricier homes ($29K more)
Greer, SC 29650 90%254$94,522$342,500$192 larger
Knoxville, TN 37931 90%170$92,150$359,600$208 larger
Knoxville, TN 37932 90%167$119,703$463,100$223 pricier homes ($126K more)
Oneida, WI 54155 90%677$99,597$389,700$184 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller
Bloomington, IL 61705 90%411$120,547$328,200$140 Very close on everything we compare
Mahomet, IL 61853 90%385$115,512$282,200$191 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older homes
Fayetteville, AR 72704 90%435$96,014$331,100$212 larger
West Henrietta, NY 14586 89%749$124,457$277,500$211 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Midlothian, VA 23114 89%541$112,738$409,100$220 pricier homes ($72K more)
Jamestown, NC 27282 89%393$91,512$312,900$169 older homes
Blacklick, OH 43004 89%422$101,175$335,400$195 larger
Noblesville, IN 46062 89%367$120,100$382,500$175 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Brownsburg, IN 46112 89%351$112,565$329,400$169 larger

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.