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, OH 43402

Bowling Green: median income $52,426, home value $243,100, $166/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Manhattan, KS 66502 96%698$54,833$223,100$153 Very close on everything we compare
Iowa City, IA 52240 94%406$52,960$242,300$181 Very close on everything we compare
Stillwater, OK 74075 93%807$46,053$228,100$161 Very close on everything we compare
Nacogdoches, TX 75965 93%902$55,291$244,500$151 smaller
Vermillion, SD 57069 92%687$53,327$231,200$142 smaller
Weatherford, OK 73096 92%907$59,138$248,600$134 smaller
Stillwater, OK 74074 92%808$52,998$258,700$164 Very close on everything we compare
Greenville, NC 27858 91%526$59,713$251,100$162 larger · newer homes
Central, SC 29630 91%461$55,264$234,500$173 smaller
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 91%164$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Athens, GA 30605 90%515$50,062$314,200$203 pricier homes ($71K more)
Starkville, MS 39759 90%617$46,398$256,900$173 newer homes
Platteville, WI 53818 90%363$55,567$236,700$157 smaller
Dekalb, IL 60115 90%266$47,043$208,600$172 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Johnson City, TN 37604 89%357$52,345$259,600$196 older residents
Lawrence, KS 66046 89%634$65,478$233,700$199 smaller
Baton Rouge, LA 70806 88%863$55,642$325,100$172 pricier homes ($82K more) · older residents
Statesboro, GA 30458 87%626$52,038$231,300$177 larger · newer homes
Valdosta, GA 31602 87%725$56,939$217,300$132 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Cookeville, TN 38501 87%371$52,145$284,600$199 pricier homes ($42K more)
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 87%120$43,639$208,600$159 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Hammond, LA 70401 87%842$50,653$211,000$144 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Lafayette, LA 70506 87%904$57,379$218,000$135 cheaper homes ($25K less) · older residents
Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 86%604$48,932$197,500$170 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 5 min longer commute
Whitewater, WI 53190 86%279$66,069$265,100$222 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.