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 Knoxville, TN 37916

Knoxville: median income $14,925, home value $269,800, $416/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gainesville, FL 32603 54%445$13,408$329,000$270 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller · older homes
Cleveland, OH 44115 44%402$22,056$178,000$205 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · older residents
Prairie View, TX 77446 44%807$20,766$250,900— smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Detroit, MI 48201 41%444$24,749$412,600$323 pricier homes ($143K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Lincoln, NE 68508 36%768$31,191$143,600$329 cheaper homes ($126K less) · older homes
Champaign, IL 61820 35%371$27,539$184,500$153 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · more homeowners
Columbia, SC 29201 34%213$32,297$255,800$213 larger · more homeowners
Cincinnati, OH 45203 31%220$21,973$356,900$185 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · older residents
College Station, TX 77840 31%804$30,377$244,800$178 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · less walkable
Gainesville, FL 32601 30%446$30,352$284,300$254 more homeowners · more single-family homes · older homes
Minneapolis, MN 55454 30%791$23,100$186,600$127 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · older residents
Milwaukee, WI 53233 27%534$23,750$137,500$146 cheaper homes ($132K less) · older homes
Tallahassee, FL 32304 26%381$32,348$150,900$148 cheaper homes ($119K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
New Orleans, LA 70112 25%546$19,395$391,900$408 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller · older residents
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 24%567$33,329$203,600— cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Lexington, KY 40508 24%148$29,440$182,800$240 cheaper homes ($87K less) · larger · more homeowners
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 23%281$29,152$144,500$227 cheaper homes ($125K less) · larger · more homeowners
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 21%378$31,069$233,500$205 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · more homeowners
Lubbock, TX 79401 21%1,029$26,980$105,600$114 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller · less walkable
Syracuse, NY 13202 20%641$27,000$88,500$202 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller · older residents
Saint Louis, MO 63106 20%392$20,679$214,400$88 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · older residents
Denton, TX 76201 20%773$39,982$257,700$188 higher income ($25K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Austin, TX 78705 19%888$32,380$647,600$378 pricier homes ($378K more) · larger
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 18%587$35,060$157,100$198 cheaper homes ($113K less) · smaller · older residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 17%377$34,897$214,800$211 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents · 10 min longer commute

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.