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 New Orleans, LA 70123

New Orleans: median income $83,585, home value $348,100, $187/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bedford, TX 76021 95%455$87,097$374,400$206 pricier homes ($26K more)
Memphis, TN 38119 94%355$89,289$296,700$147 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Troy, MI 48083 93%956$90,794$315,800$199 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Huntsville, AL 35802 92%389$76,324$334,100$170 Very close on everything we compare
Jacksonville, FL 32257 91%514$75,780$339,300$200 larger
Dayton, OH 45440 91%755$82,383$267,900$158 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Haslett, MI 48840 91%941$73,408$280,900$184 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
San Antonio, TX 78232 91%497$85,273$362,000$188 Very close on everything we compare
Tucson, AZ 85704 91%1,238$81,696$423,900$232 pricier homes ($76K more)
Southern Pines, NC 28387 90%725$74,830$410,800$226 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Greenville, SC 29615 90%571$76,117$377,500$212 pricier homes ($29K more)
Chattanooga, TN 37421 90%458$82,517$333,700$197 larger
Cincinnati, OH 45255 90%712$92,035$303,800$188 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Grafton, WI 53024 90%932$92,390$366,300$244 Very close on everything we compare
Kansas City, MO 64151 90%688$92,876$323,000$166 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Tyler, TX 75703 90%342$79,194$336,300$179 larger · younger residents · newer homes
Middletown, CT 06457 89%1,265$79,463$295,300$235 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Winston-Salem, NC 27104 89%712$81,529$359,300$181 Very close on everything we compare
Nashville, TN 37214 89%476$72,012$340,900$243 Very close on everything we compare
Knoxville, TN 37923 89%545$73,699$333,000$213 younger residents
Utica, MI 48317 89%962$72,917$265,300$186 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Rensselaer, NY 12144 88%1,265$90,738$249,700$213 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Canandaigua, NY 14424 88%1,143$79,778$269,500$233 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Elizabethtown, PA 17022 88%1,041$86,767$294,000$186 cheaper homes ($54K less) · more homeowners
Reading, PA 19610 88%1,075$87,374$343,600$186 smaller · 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.