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 Urbana, IL 61802

Urbana: median income $61,620, home value $169,600, $164/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
West Columbia, SC 29169 90%573$57,122$209,200$160 pricier homes ($40K more) · older homes
Fort Wayne, IN 46825 87%176$70,544$220,600$157 pricier homes ($51K more) · 6 min longer commute
Bloomington, IN 47404 87%104$61,389$257,500$191 pricier homes ($88K more)
Lansing, MI 48917 86%260$70,990$222,900$149 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · older homes
Lynchburg, VA 24502 85%517$68,872$228,100$168 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · younger residents
Omaha, NE 68127 85%421$66,384$248,100$162 pricier homes ($79K more) · older homes
Harrisonburg, VA 22802 84%512$66,423$280,700$196 pricier homes ($111K more)
Toledo, OH 43615 84%259$57,713$153,400$138 larger · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Mishawaka, IN 46545 84%153$56,865$177,900$159 5 min longer commute · less walkable · older homes
Topeka, KS 66614 84%410$71,377$194,100$130 larger
Lincoln, NE 68521 84%452$67,483$252,800$162 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger · younger residents
Rocky Mount, NC 27804 83%628$61,359$209,300$133 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Evansville, IN 47715 83%150$60,897$210,600$152 pricier homes ($41K more) · less walkable
Hiawatha, IA 52233 83%228$65,575$204,200$157 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · younger residents
El Paso, TX 79935 83%1,164$61,323$197,500$149 pricier homes ($28K more) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Las Cruces, NM 88005 83%1,166$54,452$220,800$168 pricier homes ($51K more) · less walkable
Indiana, PA 15701 82%476$56,311$173,900$140 larger · 5 min longer commute · less walkable
Erie, PA 16509 82%444$68,846$220,500$169 pricier homes ($51K more) · older homes
Radford, VA 24141 82%459$62,969$236,400$163 pricier homes ($67K more) · younger residents
Ocala, FL 34470 82%827$52,083$189,600$161 6 min longer commute
Bloomington, IN 47403 82%107$70,582$239,700$185 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Saint Joseph, MO 64506 82%352$65,573$240,300$150 pricier homes ($71K more) · less walkable · older homes
Oklahoma City, OK 73120 82%599$64,745$238,000$167 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger
Bryan, TX 77802 82%796$70,666$254,500$170 pricier homes ($85K more) · less walkable
Laredo, TX 78041 82%1,080$61,544$221,300$152 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · younger residents

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.