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 Bowling Green, KY 42103

Bowling Green: median income $87,689, home value $331,400, $182/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jamestown, NC 27282 96%365$91,512$312,900$169 Very close on everything we compare
Perrysburg, OH 43551 94%350$95,846$311,100$198 larger
Woodway, TX 76712 94%724$97,903$340,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Orion, MI 48359 92%431$93,125$350,100$186 smaller
Sartell, MN 56377 92%723$87,172$302,400$167 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Las Cruces, NM 88011 92%1,194$75,875$333,400$191 larger
Fairbanks, AK 99709 92%3,112$86,294$304,800$213 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Chattanooga, TN 37421 91%151$82,517$333,700$197 larger
Dubuque, IA 52002 91%447$91,036$298,900$173 cheaper homes ($33K less) · more homeowners
De Pere, WI 54115 91%524$94,721$339,500$213 larger
Plover, WI 54467 91%543$87,580$268,600$168 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents
Onalaska, WI 54650 91%542$85,548$291,600$189 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Christiansburg, VA 24073 90%330$76,800$253,200$190 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Knoxville, TN 37931 90%143$92,150$359,600$208 pricier homes ($28K more)
Fort Wayne, IN 46804 90%289$85,833$258,700$150 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Appleton, WI 54913 90%521$105,385$393,400$212 pricier homes ($62K more)
Kansas City, MO 64151 90%474$92,876$323,000$166 5 min longer commute
Omaha, NE 68164 90%600$88,927$255,900$167 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Lafayette, LA 70508 90%571$86,005$305,300$163 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Hewitt, TX 76643 90%724$83,511$273,300$176 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Greensboro, NC 27455 89%369$94,349$341,500$191 7 min longer commute
Rochester, MN 55906 89%585$93,685$377,800$173 pricier homes ($46K more) · more homeowners · older homes
Springfield, MO 65810 89%380$95,160$305,600$178 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Baton Rouge, LA 70810 89%530$92,098$365,000$186 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
Bridgeport, WV 26330 88%371$88,962$271,800$160 cheaper homes ($60K less) · more homeowners · older homes

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.