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 Mount Pleasant, MI 48858

Mount Pleasant: median income $51,267, home value $170,800, $148/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bowling Green, OH 43402 91%164$52,426$243,100$166 pricier homes ($72K more)
Manhattan, KS 66502 90%683$54,833$223,100$153 pricier homes ($52K more)
Lubbock, TX 79407 90%1,154$61,509$205,200$150 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · newer homes
Valdosta, GA 31602 89%882$56,939$217,300$132 pricier homes ($47K more)
Springfield, MO 65807 89%631$53,870$192,400$162 older residents
Lubbock, TX 79416 89%1,153$63,896$213,700$147 pricier homes ($43K more)
Iowa City, IA 52240 88%368$52,960$242,300$181 pricier homes ($72K more)
Charleston, IL 61920 88%334$52,429$149,200$104 smaller
Junction City, KS 66441 88%700$59,522$169,800$115 smaller
Hammond, LA 70401 88%957$50,653$211,000$144 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Lafayette, LA 70506 88%1,008$57,379$218,000$135 pricier homes ($47K more) · older residents
Tahlequah, OK 74464 88%758$51,262$174,000$143 older residents
Dekalb, IL 60115 87%234$47,043$208,600$172 pricier homes ($38K more) · 6 min longer commute
Rolla, MO 65401 87%535$56,081$222,800$138 pricier homes ($52K more) · older residents
Nacogdoches, TX 75965 87%980$55,291$244,500$151 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller
Central, SC 29630 86%621$55,264$234,500$173 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Tuscaloosa, AL 35404 86%735$48,932$197,500$170 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Troy, AL 36081 86%818$44,375$198,800$113 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 86%884$41,127$134,300$120 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Murray, KY 42071 86%518$50,198$190,300$151 older residents
Weatherford, OK 73096 86%926$59,138$248,600$134 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller
Stillwater, OK 74075 86%829$46,053$228,100$161 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Laredo, TX 78041 86%1,378$61,544$221,300$152 pricier homes ($51K more) · older residents
Abilene, TX 79601 86%1,116$53,631$190,200$178 smaller
Greenville, NC 27858 85%680$59,713$251,100$162 pricier homes ($80K more)

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.