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 Phenix City, AL 36867

Phenix City: median income $48,026, home value $207,600, $148/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gulfport, MS 39507 94%277$54,657$217,800$145 Very close on everything we compare
Grandview, MO 64030 94%691$53,216$188,800$149 Very close on everything we compare
Joplin, MO 64801 94%624$52,620$180,600$137 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Salisbury, NC 28144 93%339$52,568$226,700$159 Very close on everything we compare
Hopkinsville, KY 42240 93%332$51,534$174,200$160 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Natchitoches, LA 71457 93%475$46,668$197,000$134 Very close on everything we compare
Goldsboro, NC 27530 92%444$54,504$200,300$148 larger
Fayetteville, NC 28303 92%391$58,223$189,500$142 Very close on everything we compare
Lagrange, GA 30241 92%37$49,053$201,800$150 Very close on everything we compare
Thomasville, GA 31792 92%130$50,460$202,900$168 Very close on everything we compare
Monroe, LA 71203 92%409$52,326$185,100$132 larger
Pueblo, CO 81001 92%1,169$48,417$220,200$156 Very close on everything we compare
Sumter, SC 29150 91%287$50,965$169,700$133 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Dublin, GA 31021 91%122$55,697$182,700$128 Very close on everything we compare
Warner Robins, GA 31093 91%81$45,991$157,100$130 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Macon, GA 31211 91%87$49,202$168,100$131 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Lake Wales, FL 33853 91%378$44,474$209,300$144 smaller
Cleveland, TN 37311 91%182$47,153$226,800$195 Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, MO 65803 91%572$50,572$173,500$149 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Jacksonville, AR 72076 91%442$54,379$163,600$127 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Jonesboro, AR 72401 91%398$45,329$188,600$124 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Tahlequah, OK 74464 91%615$51,262$174,000$143 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Greensboro, NC 27405 90%390$47,431$174,900$164 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Spartanburg, SC 29306 90%243$41,356$177,500$152 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Winston-Salem, NC 27105 89%371$44,080$168,400$155 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 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.