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 Lexington, KY 40503

Lexington: median income $76,482, home value $296,800, $212/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Columbia, SC 29206 91%340$91,847$369,500$215 pricier homes ($73K more)
Greenville, SC 29609 91%245$65,342$339,500$226 pricier homes ($43K more)
Cincinnati, OH 45236 91%84$84,037$231,300$214 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Omaha, NE 68144 91%655$83,576$269,600$171 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Lexington, VA 24450 89%277$76,587$305,100$225 smaller
Lynchburg, VA 24503 88%293$89,137$347,500$168 pricier homes ($51K more) · more homeowners
Chattanooga, TN 37415 88%203$70,972$285,000$216 less walkable
Cincinnati, OH 45230 88%74$89,516$262,100$184 cheaper homes ($35K less) · more homeowners
Dayton, OH 45440 88%118$82,383$267,900$158 cheaper homes ($29K less)
South Bend, IN 46617 88%270$74,186$243,400$253 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Kansas City, MO 64114 88%548$81,275$280,900$218 more walkable
Pensacola, FL 32503 87%543$71,411$298,000$214 Very close on everything we compare
Dayton, OH 45429 87%118$80,210$238,700$166 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Troy, MI 48083 87%324$90,794$315,800$199 5 min longer commute
Overland Park, KS 66212 87%553$81,477$304,800$212 more apartments and townhomes
Omaha, NE 68124 87%652$98,750$301,400$185 smaller
Buffalo, NY 14226 86%457$84,325$263,800$218 cheaper homes ($33K less) · more walkable · older homes
Grand Rapids, MI 49505 86%351$74,906$246,700$214 cheaper homes ($50K less)
West Des Moines, IA 50265 86%548$85,915$281,800$213 newer homes
Saint Paul, MN 55113 86%658$86,792$350,200$207 pricier homes ($53K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Duluth, MN 55811 86%723$79,804$321,000$228 newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63146 86%325$84,756$301,700$167 more apartments and townhomes
Oklahoma City, OK 73116 86%740$81,226$321,600$199 smaller · more walkable
Hamden, CT 06514 85%658$88,900$270,800$217 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Pittsburgh, PA 15220 85%292$75,611$228,700$190 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 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.