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 70815

Baton Rouge: median income $59,254, home value $213,900, $108/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mishawaka, IN 46544 94%820$58,829$172,200$144 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Evansville, IN 47712 92%552$68,494$193,600$133 Very close on everything we compare
Lock Haven, PA 17745 91%1,059$58,555$177,100$120 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Indianapolis, IN 46229 91%706$61,388$191,100$137 Very close on everything we compare
Shelby, NC 28152 90%645$57,806$205,200$158 Very close on everything we compare
Clinton, SC 29325 90%603$60,259$177,400$126 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Birmingham, AL 35235 90%339$63,295$194,500$108 smaller · older residents
Bay City, TX 77414 90%312$59,128$172,000$141 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 89%1,095$67,510$222,900$160 5 min shorter commute
Dothan, AL 36303 89%340$54,147$182,600$127 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents
Kalamazoo, MI 49048 89%875$60,454$177,200$163 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Saint Cloud, MN 56303 89%1,058$65,198$205,200$145 Very close on everything we compare
Corsicana, TX 75110 89%339$57,370$174,100$137 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Longview, TX 75604 89%263$67,942$200,600$143 Very close on everything we compare
Temple, TX 76501 89%375$62,532$172,500$138 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Huntington, WV 25705 88%739$61,329$165,300$114 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Fayetteville, NC 28304 88%770$58,563$172,000$146 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Spartanburg, SC 29301 88%612$57,805$212,000$142 older residents · newer homes
Rome, GA 30161 88%433$61,667$205,900$155 older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45240 88%713$71,947$203,700$157 Very close on everything we compare
Shelbyville, IN 46176 88%692$65,182$194,400$137 older residents
Big Rapids, MI 49307 88%964$60,358$187,800$157 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Fulton, MO 65251 88%582$63,072$177,300$154 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Bethany, OK 73008 88%517$57,459$173,200$139 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Muskogee, OK 74403 88%441$56,689$157,900$122 cheaper homes ($56K less)

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.