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 Independence, MO 64057

Independence: median income $71,402, home value $256,300, $155/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mauldin, SC 29662 94%728$81,749$239,300$170 Very close on everything we compare
Port Orange, FL 32129 92%1,024$67,924$248,500$197 larger
Pensacola, FL 32504 91%719$72,672$275,800$179 larger
Corpus Christi, TX 78413 91%806$72,815$244,200$153 larger · younger residents
Rocky Mount, NC 27804 90%928$61,359$209,300$133 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Groveport, OH 43125 90%614$84,043$246,500$187 Very close on everything we compare
Dover, DE 19904 89%1,004$66,908$309,400$182 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Fort Wayne, IN 46825 89%508$70,544$220,600$157 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Sherman, TX 75092 89%396$68,036$279,500$158 larger · less walkable
Panama City, FL 32405 88%786$73,373$279,900$196 larger · younger residents
Palm Bay, FL 32905 88%1,097$56,411$230,000$178 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Cincinnati, OH 45245 88%540$80,147$285,900$182 pricier homes ($30K more) · less walkable
Utica, MI 48317 88%639$72,917$265,300$186 larger · older homes
Comstock Park, MI 49321 88%528$77,870$274,400$203 younger residents
Racine, WI 53406 88%423$82,792$289,700$188 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Baraboo, WI 53913 88%387$74,629$234,900$177 larger
Longview, TX 75605 88%451$73,190$252,300$160 larger · younger residents
Middletown, PA 17057 87%939$73,407$201,600$168 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · older homes
Dallastown, PA 17313 87%944$70,176$237,900$163 older homes
Christiansburg, VA 24073 87%769$76,800$253,200$190 larger
Burlington, NC 27215 87%840$68,825$259,900$177 larger
Jacksonville, FL 32257 87%948$75,780$339,300$200 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger
Pensacola, FL 32507 87%721$73,540$318,200$242 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger
Northport, AL 35473 87%550$69,657$272,800$168 less walkable
Opelika, AL 36801 87%670$62,414$234,600$188 larger

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.