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.

Reset

Towns most like Kalamazoo, MI 49009

Kalamazoo: median income $80,930, home value $346,600, $181/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rochester, MN 55901 95%364$94,607$317,000$177 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Tyler, TX 75703 95%869$79,194$336,300$179 Very close on everything we compare
Knoxville, TN 37923 94%447$73,699$333,000$213 smaller
Lafayette, LA 70508 93%908$86,005$305,300$163 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Winston-Salem, NC 27106 92%512$68,568$313,100$176 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Bowling Green, KY 42104 92%371$75,164$306,400$174 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Perrysburg, OH 43551 92%119$95,846$311,100$198 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Las Cruces, NM 88011 92%1,337$75,875$333,400$191 older residents
Morgantown, WV 26508 91%353$90,041$311,500$174 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Greensboro, NC 27410 91%528$85,291$338,600$187 older residents
Westerville, OH 43081 91%208$92,422$329,800$209 Very close on everything we compare
Columbus, OH 43230 91%213$91,424$306,500$206 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more walkable
Macon, GA 31210 90%657$78,447$285,800$130 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Chattanooga, TN 37421 90%502$82,517$333,700$197 older residents
Hattiesburg, MS 39402 90%785$75,220$253,900$153 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Canal Winchester, OH 43110 90%226$77,442$304,200$191 cheaper homes ($42K less)
De Pere, WI 54115 90%192$94,721$339,500$213 Very close on everything we compare
Lexington, KY 40515 89%305$86,268$340,500$191 more single-family homes
Sun Prairie, WI 53590 89%190$97,051$379,500$224 pricier homes ($33K more)
Eau Claire, WI 54701 89%338$74,361$289,900$184 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Bellevue, NE 68123 89%535$93,188$290,800$170 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Fairbanks, AK 99709 89%2,826$86,294$304,800$213 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Charlotte, NC 28269 88%549$81,517$341,700$197 larger
Kennesaw, GA 30144 88%573$88,560$345,900$188 6 min longer commute
Knoxville, TN 37931 88%443$92,150$359,600$208 smaller · more single-family 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.