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 Iowa City, IA 52240

Iowa City: median income $52,960, home value $242,300, $181/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bowling Green, OH 43402 94%406$52,426$243,100$166 Very close on everything we compare
Manhattan, KS 66502 94%316$54,833$223,100$153 Very close on everything we compare
Stillwater, OK 74074 92%485$52,998$258,700$164 more single-family homes
Greenville, NC 27858 91%869$59,713$251,100$162 larger
Tallahassee, FL 32303 91%868$62,275$228,000$178 Very close on everything we compare
Stillwater, OK 74075 90%483$46,053$228,100$161 Very close on everything we compare
Kent, OH 44240 89%527$57,627$226,500$177 Very close on everything we compare
Lawrence, KS 66046 89%271$65,478$233,700$199 smaller
Nacogdoches, TX 75965 89%706$55,291$244,500$151 smaller
Central, SC 29630 88%671$55,264$234,500$173 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Starkville, MS 39759 88%584$46,398$256,900$173 less walkable
Oxford, OH 45056 88%384$49,233$250,700$188 younger residents
Athens, OH 45701 88%519$53,075$227,400$153 younger residents
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 88%368$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Brookings, SD 57006 88%325$66,337$273,900$155 pricier homes ($32K more)
Athens, GA 30605 87%693$50,062$314,200$203 pricier homes ($72K more) · more renters
Johnson City, TN 37604 87%612$52,345$259,600$196 older residents
Vermillion, SD 57069 87%289$53,327$231,200$142 smaller
Fargo, ND 58102 87%450$59,533$242,200$144 more walkable
Weatherford, OK 73096 87%573$59,138$248,600$134 smaller
Bloomington, IN 47404 86%309$61,389$257,500$191 smaller · older residents
Baton Rouge, LA 70806 86%773$55,642$325,100$172 pricier homes ($83K more) · older residents
Fayetteville, AR 72701 85%411$55,506$355,300$218 pricier homes ($113K more)
Laramie, WY 82072 85%722$53,863$324,100$200 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller
Lubbock, TX 79407 84%797$61,509$205,200$150 cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer 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.