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 Carbondale, IL 62901

Carbondale: median income $35,089, home value $146,600, $99/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 82%368$43,639$208,600$159 pricier homes ($62K more)
Stillwater, OK 74075 71%447$46,053$228,100$161 pricier homes ($82K more) · more single-family homes
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 69%443$41,127$134,300$120 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Las Cruces, NM 88001 69%1,059$33,087$163,800$154 larger · more single-family homes
Morgantown, WV 26505 68%517$45,536$278,000$170 pricier homes ($131K more) · larger
Winston-Salem, NC 27101 67%509$44,198$221,000$154 pricier homes ($74K more) · older residents
Huntsville, AL 35816 67%252$40,242$128,900$128 more walkable
Baton Rouge, LA 70802 67%515$34,458$99,800$102 cheaper homes ($47K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Bryan, TX 77801 67%637$39,846$162,300$162 newer homes
Troy, AL 36081 66%449$44,375$198,800$113 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Lubbock, TX 79415 66%765$36,468$96,400$139 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Syracuse, NY 13210 65%779$41,738$173,600$148 pricier homes ($27K more) · more walkable · older homes
Pascagoula, MS 39581 65%510$37,927$153,100$91 smaller · older residents
Lubbock, TX 79414 65%769$49,057$157,500$105 Very close on everything we compare
Americus, GA 31709 64%484$41,531$139,800$74 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Vermillion, SD 57069 64%536$53,327$231,200$142 pricier homes ($85K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Columbia, MO 65201 64%187$48,113$248,400$184 pricier homes ($102K more) · larger · newer homes
Ruston, LA 71270 64%407$36,791$222,300$161 pricier homes ($76K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Greensboro, NC 27401 62%534$47,972$156,500$177 6 min longer commute
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 62%326$29,152$144,500$227 larger
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 62%468$51,267$170,800$148 larger · more homeowners
California, PA 15419 61%526$43,813$126,000$110 smaller · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Bowling Green, OH 43402 61%390$52,426$243,100$166 pricier homes ($97K more) · more homeowners
Tallahassee, FL 32304 60%575$32,348$150,900$148 larger · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Manhattan, KS 66502 60%411$54,833$223,100$153 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger · more homeowners

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.