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 Lake Charles, LA 70601

Lake Charles: median income $49,992, home value $162,200, $98/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dothan, AL 36303 93%468$54,147$182,600$127 Very close on everything we compare
Chickasha, OK 73018 93%432$56,484$141,400$122 smaller
Beckley, WV 25801 92%861$56,836$158,900$112 Very close on everything we compare
Sumter, SC 29150 92%793$50,965$169,700$133 Very close on everything we compare
Grenada, MS 38901 92%315$48,848$149,700$112 smaller
Hannibal, MO 63401 92%663$60,036$152,100$116 Very close on everything we compare
Poplar Bluff, MO 63901 92%479$51,152$151,600$109 Very close on everything we compare
Danville, VA 24541 91%905$51,427$145,100$115 Very close on everything we compare
Decatur, AL 35601 91%471$51,429$172,200$134 Very close on everything we compare
Greenville, MS 38701 91%251$40,854$127,300$92 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Madisonville, KY 42431 91%589$54,905$160,700$113 Very close on everything we compare
Vincennes, IN 47591 91%667$61,803$157,400$106 Very close on everything we compare
Terre Haute, IN 47802 91%714$57,395$170,200$136 Very close on everything we compare
Joplin, MO 64801 91%481$52,620$180,600$137 Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, MO 65803 91%486$50,572$173,500$149 Very close on everything we compare
Blytheville, AR 72315 91%437$52,259$134,600$89 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Lawton, OK 73505 91%432$58,272$158,200$109 larger
Lawton, OK 73507 91%429$62,132$158,800$111 Very close on everything we compare
Muskogee, OK 74401 91%401$42,294$149,300$110 smaller
Union City, TN 38261 90%490$55,876$153,400$129 smaller
Cleveland, MS 38732 90%282$44,705$160,700$87 smaller
Laurel, MS 39440 90%261$46,947$125,400$111 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · younger residents
Ashland, KY 41101 90%827$53,889$121,600$101 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Great Bend, KS 67530 90%648$58,780$137,600$99 smaller
Miami, OK 74354 90%469$50,818$127,600$108 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller

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.