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 Ames, IA 50014

Ames: median income $60,731, home value $336,800, $211/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pullman, WA 99163 85%1,199$48,231$435,900$228 pricier homes ($99K more) · older homes
West Lafayette, IN 47906 84%369$53,103$323,200$186 larger · more walkable
Clemson, SC 29631 83%777$48,800$400,400$214 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller
Laramie, WY 82072 83%609$53,863$324,100$200 smaller · older homes
Blacksburg, VA 24060 82%778$67,675$447,600$237 pricier homes ($111K more) · more walkable
Columbia, MO 65201 82%227$48,113$248,400$184 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
Gainesville, FL 32608 81%1,065$61,588$358,200$206 larger · older residents · more walkable
Athens, GA 30605 78%794$50,062$314,200$203 Very close on everything we compare
Lawrence, KS 66047 78%230$65,392$342,300$173 smaller · older residents
Morgantown, WV 26505 77%737$45,536$278,000$170 cheaper homes ($59K less) · older homes
Logan, UT 84341 77%930$69,310$465,700$203 pricier homes ($129K more)
Orono, ME 04473 76%1,263$61,528$272,600$198 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · older homes
Storrs Mansfield, CT 06268 76%1,100$55,219$348,600$220 smaller · older homes
Ithaca, NY 14850 76%879$71,445$353,500$228 larger · older homes
Greenville, NC 27858 75%984$59,713$251,100$162 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger
Moscow, ID 83843 74%1,190$59,444$380,600$257 pricier homes ($44K more) · older residents · older homes
East Lansing, MI 48823 73%473$52,018$282,600$173 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · more walkable
Rexburg, ID 83440 73%922$58,159$419,300$203 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger
Fayetteville, AR 72701 72%415$55,506$355,300$218 larger
State College, PA 16803 71%822$73,532$413,700$195 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents · more walkable
Boone, NC 28607 71%759$46,639$378,600$314 pricier homes ($42K more) · more homeowners
Huntsville, AL 35806 71%631$86,768$347,700$174 higher income ($26K more) · older residents
Athens, GA 30606 70%790$63,328$362,500$201 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Starkville, MS 39759 70%651$46,398$256,900$173 cheaper homes ($80K less) · older residents
Bloomington, IN 47408 70%426$45,644$346,900$188 more walkable · older 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.