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 Lafayette, IN 47909

Lafayette: median income $68,035, home value $222,800, $180/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tulsa, OK 74134 94%565$73,119$230,700$151 smaller
Florence, SC 29501 93%577$71,671$236,900$156 Very close on everything we compare
Broken Arrow, OK 74012 92%567$81,456$243,800$154 Very close on everything we compare
Winston-Salem, NC 27127 91%466$61,926$219,600$164 Very close on everything we compare
Jackson, TN 38305 91%338$68,977$243,800$157 Very close on everything we compare
Bemidji, MN 56601 91%636$72,262$260,900$170 pricier homes ($38K more) · less walkable
Wichita, KS 67212 91%594$68,145$200,300$126 Very close on everything we compare
West Monroe, LA 71291 91%613$71,639$227,000$144 Very close on everything we compare
Southaven, MS 38671 90%407$61,843$189,000$150 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Tupelo, MS 38801 90%431$62,946$197,100$141 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Elizabethtown, KY 42701 90%190$69,619$260,300$157 pricier homes ($38K more)
Joplin, MO 64804 90%469$62,574$185,300$142 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older residents
Columbia, MO 65202 90%303$72,289$217,900$179 Very close on everything we compare
Durant, OK 74701 90%680$58,036$206,600$155 smaller
Shawnee, OK 74804 90%645$67,631$212,900$144 smaller
Brenham, TX 77833 90%882$73,388$280,500$172 pricier homes ($58K more) · older residents
San Antonio, TX 78233 90%986$76,421$220,800$147 5 min longer commute
Lubbock, TX 79423 90%951$84,933$234,400$149 Very close on everything we compare
Columbia, SC 29209 89%548$58,772$206,500$145 Very close on everything we compare
Opelika, AL 36801 89%537$62,414$234,600$188 smaller · older residents
Knoxville, TN 37921 89%339$60,013$226,300$220 smaller · older homes
Lexington, KY 40511 89%200$79,540$252,400$180 pricier homes ($30K more) · newer homes
Erlanger, KY 41018 89%152$68,605$192,100$199 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older homes
Saint Cloud, MN 56303 89%518$65,198$205,200$145 smaller · older homes
Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 89%518$76,138$272,400$161 pricier homes ($50K 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.