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 Lincoln, NE 68505

Lincoln: median income $75,980, home value $232,000, $162/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lynchburg, VA 24502 92%961$68,872$228,100$168 larger
Moorhead, MN 56560 90%418$75,406$253,200$155 larger
Saint Paul, MN 55117 88%339$70,771$280,500$178 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Harrisburg, PA 17109 87%1,038$71,833$215,900$163 older homes
Radford, VA 24141 87%899$62,969$236,400$163 less walkable
Fort Wayne, IN 46825 87%600$70,544$220,600$157 larger · older residents · newer homes
Wyoming, MI 49519 87%579$73,762$238,700$189 less walkable
La Crosse, WI 54601 87%344$61,639$235,100$178 larger
Minneapolis, MN 55428 87%336$74,860$299,500$188 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · older residents
Denton, TX 76209 87%525$75,069$274,300$192 pricier homes ($42K more)
Chesapeake, VA 23325 86%1,129$69,909$272,000$235 pricier homes ($40K more)
Newport News, VA 23601 86%1,112$71,279$243,800$204 older residents
Amarillo, TX 79109 86%484$70,435$222,900$142 larger · older residents
Columbus, OH 43231 85%721$73,986$237,000$197 less walkable
Dayton, OH 45431 85%666$83,175$209,500$154 less walkable
Waukesha, WI 53186 85%457$74,588$301,100$224 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · older residents
Minneapolis, MN 55429 85%337$72,253$280,900$179 pricier homes ($49K more) · older homes
Minneapolis, MN 55432 85%341$79,520$301,800$187 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Sioux Falls, SD 57103 85%187$72,831$269,500$173 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · older residents
Kansas City, MO 64116 85%159$64,123$240,900$194 older residents
Wichita, KS 67207 85%220$67,889$215,300$122 Very close on everything we compare
Irving, TX 75062 85%551$72,704$273,600$199 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Corpus Christi, TX 78413 85%909$72,815$244,200$153 larger · older residents
El Paso, TX 79935 85%826$61,323$197,500$149 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
Brockport, NY 14420 84%971$75,577$191,900$165 cheaper homes ($40K less) · less walkable

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.