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 Starkville, MS 39759

Starkville: median income $46,398, home value $256,900, $173/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Athens, GA 30605 92%316$50,062$314,200$203 pricier homes ($57K more)
Bowling Green, OH 43402 90%617$52,426$243,100$166 older homes
Stillwater, OK 74074 90%502$52,998$258,700$164 Very close on everything we compare
Stillwater, OK 74075 90%503$46,053$228,100$161 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Greenville, NC 27858 89%669$59,713$251,100$162 Very close on everything we compare
Auburn, AL 36832 88%200$42,717$263,900$210 younger residents
Iowa City, IA 52240 88%584$52,960$242,300$181 more walkable
Nacogdoches, TX 75965 87%358$55,291$244,500$151 smaller
Central, SC 29630 86%356$55,264$234,500$173 smaller
Manhattan, KS 66502 86%586$54,833$223,100$153 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older homes
Cookeville, TN 38501 84%267$52,145$284,600$199 pricier homes ($28K more)
Columbia, MO 65201 84%426$48,113$248,400$184 younger residents · more renters
Ruston, LA 71270 84%231$36,791$222,300$161 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Statesboro, GA 30458 83%414$52,038$231,300$177 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Johnson City, TN 37604 83%415$52,345$259,600$196 older residents · older homes
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 83%734$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Kent, OH 44240 82%671$57,627$226,500$177 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older homes
Fayetteville, AR 72701 82%352$55,506$355,300$218 pricier homes ($98K more) · more walkable
Lubbock, TX 79407 82%756$61,509$205,200$150 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Conway, AR 72034 81%237$65,635$274,200$163 Very close on everything we compare
Athens, GA 30606 80%312$63,328$362,500$201 pricier homes ($106K more) · older residents
Vermillion, SD 57069 80%781$53,327$231,200$142 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · younger residents
Weatherford, OK 73096 80%580$59,138$248,600$134 smaller
Huntsville, TX 77340 80%441$48,538$244,000$157 6 min longer commute
Morgantown, WV 26505 79%652$45,536$278,000$170 more renters · more apartments and townhomes

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.