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 Chattanooga, TN 37421

Chattanooga: median income $82,517, home value $333,700, $197/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Green Bay, WI 54311 95%670$84,914$300,600$207 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Tyler, TX 75703 95%614$79,194$336,300$179 Very close on everything we compare
San Angelo, TX 76904 95%920$81,833$285,400$176 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Bowling Green, KY 42104 94%151$75,164$306,400$174 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Christiansburg, VA 24073 93%302$76,800$253,200$190 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Jacksonville, FL 32257 93%392$75,780$339,300$200 Very close on everything we compare
Perrysburg, OH 43551 93%458$95,846$311,100$198 Very close on everything we compare
Oak Creek, WI 53154 92%563$96,555$331,700$230 Very close on everything we compare
De Pere, WI 54115 92%669$94,721$339,500$213 Very close on everything we compare
Onalaska, WI 54650 92%693$85,548$291,600$189 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Yakima, WA 98908 92%2,003$84,197$383,900$242 pricier homes ($50K more)
Elizabethtown, PA 17022 91%586$86,767$294,000$186 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Burlington, NC 27215 91%326$68,825$259,900$177 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Bowling Green, KY 42103 91%151$87,689$331,400$182 smaller
Columbus, OH 43230 91%368$91,424$306,500$206 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Grand Rapids, MI 49534 91%553$81,657$306,700$207 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Appleton, WI 54915 91%659$87,426$269,700$187 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Corpus Christi, TX 78418 91%880$92,445$302,500$215 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Fairbanks, AK 99709 91%3,263$86,294$304,800$213 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
High Point, NC 27265 90%297$73,981$266,700$167 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Pensacola, FL 32507 90%345$73,540$318,200$242 smaller
Cincinnati, OH 45245 90%283$80,147$285,900$182 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Kalamazoo, MI 49009 90%502$80,930$346,600$181 younger residents
Eau Claire, WI 54701 90%753$74,361$289,900$184 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Kansas City, MO 64151 90%597$92,876$323,000$166 smaller

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.