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 Montgomery, AL 36111

Montgomery: median income $61,259, home value $168,900, $90/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Peoria, IL 61614 87%611$66,924$172,100$118 larger
Springfield, IL 62704 87%548$69,976$172,600$112 larger
Topeka, KS 66604 84%703$60,874$139,100$123 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · older homes
Bloomington, IL 61701 83%582$57,130$144,500$114 larger
Topeka, KS 66606 83%704$57,169$130,600$115 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older homes
Topeka, KS 66611 83%701$55,837$156,600$122 Very close on everything we compare
Toledo, OH 43606 82%661$66,917$169,000$130 larger · younger residents · older homes
Toledo, OH 43614 82%656$58,961$168,400$141 larger
Lincoln, NE 68510 82%820$65,951$239,700$156 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Champaign, IL 61821 81%548$70,715$181,800$162 larger
Wichita, KS 67208 81%724$60,914$183,300$126 larger · younger residents · older homes
Cayce, SC 29033 80%321$61,237$163,800$167 Very close on everything we compare
Toledo, OH 43623 80%663$71,171$169,300$146 larger
Oskaloosa, IA 52577 80%712$66,084$163,300$116 Very close on everything we compare
Oklahoma City, OK 73112 80%684$58,419$196,400$156 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Tulsa, OK 74145 80%607$58,706$171,800$137 larger · younger residents
Columbia, SC 29204 79%326$50,189$199,600$166 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Jackson, MS 39211 79%225$69,426$221,600$110 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · younger residents
Corpus Christi, TX 78411 79%737$57,742$184,700$143 larger
Amarillo, TX 79106 79%918$59,493$174,400$134 larger
Lansing, MI 48912 78%725$54,429$150,200$123 younger residents · more renters
Belleville, IL 62220 78%475$65,952$157,400$112 larger · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Huntington, WV 25701 77%472$56,292$164,300$115 larger · less walkable
West Columbia, SC 29169 77%321$57,122$209,200$160 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Cincinnati, OH 45217 77%482$62,200$171,300$128 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · older 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.