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 Columbia, MO 65203

Columbia: median income $79,960, home value $348,800, $176/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
College Station, TX 77845 91%624$88,851$365,100$195 newer homes
Lexington, KY 40515 90%432$86,268$340,500$191 smaller
Auburn, AL 36830 89%586$70,188$367,700$219 Very close on everything we compare
Rochester, MN 55901 89%353$94,607$317,000$177 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Baton Rouge, LA 70810 88%597$92,098$365,000$186 5 min longer commute
Greensboro, NC 27410 87%711$85,291$338,600$187 older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Lexington, KY 40509 86%434$94,804$366,300$191 5 min longer commute
Kalamazoo, MI 49009 86%419$80,930$346,600$181 Very close on everything we compare
Baton Rouge, LA 70808 86%593$69,418$409,900$213 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Norman, OK 73072 86%382$78,546$306,500$171 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Las Cruces, NM 88011 86%922$75,875$333,400$191 smaller · older residents
Winston-Salem, NC 27104 85%688$81,529$359,300$181 smaller · older residents
Westerville, OH 43081 85%510$92,422$329,800$209 more apartments and townhomes
Iowa City, IA 52245 85%194$78,020$315,100$184 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · older homes
Lawrence, KS 66049 85%157$90,147$393,400$190 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Lafayette, LA 70503 85%605$94,688$341,300$144 smaller · older homes
Perrysburg, OH 43551 84%496$95,846$311,100$198 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Manhattan, KS 66503 84%230$97,846$339,100$153 smaller
Newark, DE 19711 83%889$95,403$398,900$217 pricier homes ($50K more) · older homes
Columbus, OH 43230 83%512$91,424$306,500$206 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Grand Rapids, MI 49546 83%450$99,343$417,900$213 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Omaha, NE 68154 83%256$81,385$326,100$158 smaller
Lafayette, LA 70508 83%607$86,005$305,300$163 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Fayetteville, AR 72704 83%224$96,014$331,100$212 smaller · newer homes
Oklahoma City, OK 73142 83%370$81,818$364,300$178 smaller · 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.