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.

Reset

Towns most like Lexington, KY 40515

Lexington: median income $86,268, home value $340,500, $191/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Baton Rouge, LA 70810 96%647$92,098$365,000$186 Very close on everything we compare
Lafayette, LA 70508 94%691$86,005$305,300$163 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Kansas City, MO 64151 93%556$92,876$323,000$166 Very close on everything we compare
Fayetteville, AR 72704 93%558$96,014$331,100$212 Very close on everything we compare
Charlotte, NC 28269 92%274$81,517$341,700$197 larger
Cordova, TN 38018 92%353$90,004$293,800$147 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Perrysburg, OH 43551 92%252$95,846$311,100$198 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Las Cruces, NM 88011 92%1,310$75,875$333,400$191 Very close on everything we compare
Jacksonville, FL 32225 91%553$90,559$355,300$223 Very close on everything we compare
River Falls, WI 54022 91%636$96,642$373,100$203 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Kansas City, MO 64155 91%552$97,471$300,900$189 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Woodway, TX 76712 91%850$97,903$340,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Jamestown, NC 27282 90%285$91,512$312,900$169 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Knoxville, TN 37931 90%138$92,150$359,600$208 Very close on everything we compare
Noblesville, IN 46060 90%167$91,918$321,100$173 Very close on everything we compare
Portage, MI 49024 90%299$91,105$267,400$165 cheaper homes ($73K less) · older homes
Sun Prairie, WI 53590 90%438$97,051$379,500$224 pricier homes ($39K more)
Rochester, MN 55901 90%592$94,607$317,000$177 larger
Columbia, MO 65203 90%432$79,960$348,800$176 larger
Oklahoma City, OK 73142 90%745$81,818$364,300$178 smaller
Fairbanks, AK 99709 90%3,110$86,294$304,800$213 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Greensboro, NC 27455 89%285$94,349$341,500$191 older residents
Durham, NC 27703 89%340$89,317$378,400$201 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · newer homes
Belmont, NC 28012 89%267$83,391$374,100$240 pricier homes ($34K more)
Greer, SC 29650 89%245$94,522$342,500$192 more homeowners

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.