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 36832

Auburn: median income $42,717, home value $263,900, $210/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Starkville, MS 39759 88%200$46,398$256,900$173 older residents
Athens, GA 30605 82%156$50,062$314,200$203 pricier homes ($50K more) · more renters · older homes
Columbia, MO 65201 82%580$48,113$248,400$184 larger · more renters · older homes
Stillwater, OK 74075 80%702$46,053$228,100$161 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Iowa City, IA 52240 79%706$52,960$242,300$181 older residents · older homes
Baton Rouge, LA 70820 79%366$47,429$286,600$137 6 min longer commute · more renters
Greenville, NC 27858 78%511$59,713$251,100$162 larger
Morgantown, WV 26505 77%578$45,536$278,000$170 more renters · older homes
Boone, NC 28607 77%333$46,639$378,600$314 pricier homes ($115K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Fayetteville, AR 72701 76%547$55,506$355,300$218 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Central, SC 29630 75%216$55,264$234,500$173 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older residents
Bowling Green, OH 43402 75%616$52,426$243,100$166 older homes
Stillwater, OK 74074 75%701$52,998$258,700$164 more single-family homes · older homes
Rexburg, ID 83440 75%1,613$58,159$419,300$203 pricier homes ($155K more) · larger · more renters
Statesboro, GA 30458 74%218$52,038$231,300$177 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · more renters
Oxford, OH 45056 73%480$49,233$250,700$188 more single-family homes · more walkable · older homes
Ruston, LA 71270 73%415$36,791$222,300$161 cheaper homes ($42K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Clemson, SC 29631 72%212$48,800$400,400$214 pricier homes ($137K more) · smaller · more walkable
West Lafayette, IN 47906 72%548$53,103$323,200$186 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · more walkable
Laramie, WY 82072 72%1,255$53,863$324,100$200 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · older homes
Gainesville, FL 32607 71%275$45,987$321,900$180 pricier homes ($58K more) · more renters · more walkable
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 71%762$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($93K less) · older homes
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 71%670$43,639$208,600$159 cheaper homes ($55K less) · more renters · older homes
Vermillion, SD 57069 71%939$53,327$231,200$142 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · older homes
Manhattan, KS 66502 71%768$54,833$223,100$153 cheaper homes ($41K less) · more single-family homes · 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.