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 West Lafayette, IN 47906

West Lafayette: median income $53,103, home value $323,200, $186/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
East Lansing, MI 48823 87%203$52,018$282,600$173 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · older homes
Ames, IA 50014 84%369$60,731$336,800$211 smaller · less walkable
Clemson, SC 29631 83%457$48,800$400,400$214 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller
Gainesville, FL 32608 83%791$61,588$358,200$206 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents
Columbia, MO 65201 82%304$48,113$248,400$184 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · less walkable
Blacksburg, VA 24060 81%413$67,675$447,600$237 pricier homes ($124K more) · smaller · older homes
Fayetteville, AR 72701 81%496$55,506$355,300$218 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Iowa City, IA 52246 80%256$62,521$348,900$176 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · older residents
Oxford, OH 45056 79%132$49,233$250,700$188 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · older homes
Morgantown, WV 26505 77%373$45,536$278,000$170 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · older homes
Greenville, NC 27858 77%619$59,713$251,100$162 cheaper homes ($72K less) · less walkable
Athens, GA 30605 77%491$50,062$314,200$203 smaller · older residents · less walkable
Gainesville, FL 32607 77%788$45,987$321,900$180 smaller · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Athens, OH 45701 77%267$53,075$227,400$153 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller · older homes
Boone, NC 28607 75%408$46,639$378,600$314 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Iowa City, IA 52240 75%252$52,960$242,300$181 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · older residents
State College, PA 16801 74%476$61,836$414,600$228 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller · older residents
Normal, IL 61761 74%109$65,275$214,600$122 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Stillwater, OK 74074 74%626$52,998$258,700$164 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · older residents
Pullman, WA 99163 74%1,564$48,231$435,900$228 pricier homes ($113K more) · smaller · less walkable
Wilmington, NC 28403 73%656$54,547$386,700$277 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · older residents
Auburn, AL 36832 72%548$42,717$263,900$210 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · less walkable
Laramie, WY 82072 72%969$53,863$324,100$200 smaller · less walkable · older homes
Rexburg, ID 83440 72%1,290$58,159$419,300$203 pricier homes ($96K more) · less walkable
Logan, UT 84341 72%1,294$69,310$465,700$203 pricier homes ($143K more) · 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.