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 Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Baton Rouge: median income $69,418, home value $409,900, $213/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Iowa City, IA 52245 93%778$78,020$315,100$184 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller
Auburn, AL 36830 89%366$70,188$367,700$219 cheaper homes ($42K less) · newer homes
Laramie, WY 82070 88%1,117$69,095$338,500$216 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Ithaca, NY 14850 87%1,161$71,445$353,500$228 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Knoxville, TN 37919 87%562$72,645$526,800$258 pricier homes ($117K more) · older residents
Ames, IA 50010 86%815$65,398$253,500$190 cheaper homes ($156K less)
Columbia, MO 65203 86%593$79,960$348,800$176 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Blacksburg, VA 24060 85%775$67,675$447,600$237 pricier homes ($38K more) · more renters
Birmingham, AL 35216 85%330$74,525$398,200$192 Very close on everything we compare
Bloomington, IN 47401 84%658$66,906$364,600$191 cheaper homes ($45K less) · older residents · more walkable
Athens, GA 30606 83%514$63,328$362,500$201 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Durham, NC 27707 81%803$74,406$407,800$249 more walkable
Ann Arbor, MI 48108 81%915$89,355$406,700$234 Very close on everything we compare
Norman, OK 73072 81%495$78,546$306,500$171 cheaper homes ($103K less) · newer homes
Amherst, MA 01002 80%1,323$70,818$481,100$314 pricier homes ($71K more)
Greenville, SC 29615 80%599$76,117$377,500$212 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents
Lawrence, KS 66047 80%634$65,392$342,300$173 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · newer homes
Huntsville, AL 35802 79%397$76,324$334,100$170 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · older residents
Knoxville, TN 37923 79%559$73,699$333,000$213 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older residents
Omaha, NE 68154 79%800$81,385$326,100$158 cheaper homes ($84K less) · older residents
Winston-Salem, NC 27106 78%740$68,568$313,100$176 cheaper homes ($97K less) · older residents
Durham, NC 27705 78%804$73,066$455,000$261 pricier homes ($45K more) · more walkable
Lexington, KY 40503 78%646$76,482$296,800$212 cheaper homes ($113K less) · older residents · older homes
Westerville, OH 43081 78%815$92,422$329,800$209 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger
Columbus, OH 43235 78%813$86,666$383,500$206 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes

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.