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.

Reset

Towns most like Wichita, KS 67216

Wichita: median income $48,902, home value $94,900, $110/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rantoul, IL 61866 90%526$50,686$121,300$112 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Rocky Mount, NC 27801 88%1,086$44,884$115,400$109 Very close on everything we compare
Laurel, MS 39440 88%619$46,947$125,400$111 pricier homes ($31K more)
Pontiac, MI 48340 88%817$47,891$119,900$116 pricier homes ($25K more) · more renters
Flint, MI 48507 88%804$46,554$111,300$88 Very close on everything we compare
Albany, GA 31705 87%861$42,972$102,900$91 Very close on everything we compare
Battle Creek, MI 49037 87%718$42,690$99,600$137 older homes
Plainview, TX 79072 87%342$47,255$114,000$96 more single-family homes
Tyler, TX 75702 86%381$51,564$115,200$113 more single-family homes
Port Arthur, TX 77642 86%566$42,950$104,700$115 larger · 7 min longer commute
Victoria, TX 77901 86%609$57,923$143,200$137 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
Muncie, IN 47303 85%666$47,674$118,200$117 Very close on everything we compare
Lubbock, TX 79412 85%380$48,878$130,700$90 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Laurinburg, NC 28352 84%1,013$43,728$118,600$109 less walkable
Lumberton, NC 28358 84%1,041$48,467$110,400$121 less walkable · newer homes
Tifton, GA 31794 84%893$46,056$130,100$123 pricier homes ($35K more)
Jackson, MI 49202 84%754$42,632$116,100$122 older homes
West Memphis, AR 72301 84%432$42,859$120,100$115 pricier homes ($25K more) · more renters
Lawton, OK 73501 84%218$49,741$133,000$119 pricier homes ($38K more) · more renters
Tulsa, OK 74128 84%130$52,195$120,100$124 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller · more walkable
Rochester, NY 14615 83%1,101$51,262$137,500$148 pricier homes ($43K more)
Canton, OH 44707 83%881$44,943$109,100$114 smaller · older homes
Evansville, IN 47710 83%532$47,292$147,300$125 pricier homes ($52K more) · older residents
Rockford, IL 61101 83%541$46,163$90,600$92 more single-family homes
New Iberia, LA 70560 83%614$45,509$133,700$115 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute

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.