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 Auburn, AL 36830

Auburn: median income $70,188, home value $367,700, $219/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oxford, MS 38655 89%262$68,235$340,000$261 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Columbia, MO 65203 89%586$79,960$348,800$176 Very close on everything we compare
Baton Rouge, LA 70808 89%366$69,418$409,900$213 pricier homes ($42K more) · older homes
Tallahassee, FL 32311 88%166$81,243$321,600$207 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Lawrence, KS 66049 88%706$90,147$393,400$190 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Baton Rouge, LA 70809 87%362$79,967$324,000$182 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Norman, OK 73072 87%713$78,546$306,500$171 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Oklahoma City, OK 73142 87%726$81,818$364,300$178 smaller
Jacksonville, FL 32224 86%284$88,259$458,100$265 pricier homes ($90K more)
College Station, TX 77845 86%654$88,851$365,100$195 larger
Las Cruces, NM 88011 86%1,234$75,875$333,400$191 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents
Athens, GA 30606 85%153$63,328$362,500$201 more renters · older homes
Durham, NC 27713 84%440$100,676$418,400$226 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($51K more)
Bloomington, IN 47401 84%459$66,906$364,600$191 more walkable
Kalamazoo, MI 49009 84%673$80,930$346,600$181 Very close on everything we compare
Lawrence, KS 66047 84%705$65,392$342,300$173 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Winston-Salem, NC 27106 83%385$68,568$313,100$176 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents · older homes
Greenville, SC 29607 83%239$74,503$359,500$194 more walkable
Lexington, KY 40509 83%382$94,804$366,300$191 Very close on everything we compare
Greensboro, NC 27410 82%402$85,291$338,600$187 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Knoxville, TN 37923 82%247$73,699$333,000$213 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · older homes
Ridgeland, MS 39157 82%271$66,068$275,000$158 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Westerville, OH 43081 82%542$92,422$329,800$209 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older homes
Ann Arbor, MI 48108 82%676$89,355$406,700$234 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · more walkable
Greenville, SC 29615 81%242$76,117$377,500$212 older residents · 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.