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 Stillwater, OK 74074

Stillwater: median income $52,998, home value $258,700, $164/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Manhattan, KS 66502 94%215$54,833$223,100$153 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Nacogdoches, TX 75965 93%334$55,291$244,500$151 smaller
Bowling Green, OH 43402 92%808$52,426$243,100$166 Very close on everything we compare
Iowa City, IA 52240 92%485$52,960$242,300$181 more apartments and townhomes
Starkville, MS 39759 90%502$46,398$256,900$173 Very close on everything we compare
Oxford, OH 45056 89%712$49,233$250,700$188 younger residents
Brookings, SD 57006 89%567$66,337$273,900$155 Very close on everything we compare
Greenville, NC 27858 88%1,103$59,713$251,100$162 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Vermillion, SD 57069 88%462$53,327$231,200$142 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Lubbock, TX 79416 88%326$63,896$213,700$147 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Johnson City, TN 37604 87%818$52,345$259,600$196 older residents
Athens, OH 45701 87%846$53,075$227,400$153 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more walkable
Fayetteville, AR 72701 87%162$55,506$355,300$218 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger
Tallahassee, FL 32303 86%831$62,275$228,000$178 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Platteville, WI 53818 86%577$55,567$236,700$157 smaller · older homes
Central, SC 29630 85%808$55,264$234,500$173 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Athens, GA 30605 85%789$50,062$314,200$203 pricier homes ($56K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Valdosta, GA 31602 85%868$56,939$217,300$132 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Mobile, AL 36608 85%629$61,146$262,200$152 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 85%831$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Warrensburg, MO 64093 85%259$61,094$236,300$155 Very close on everything we compare
Rolla, MO 65401 85%319$56,081$222,800$138 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents
Lawrence, KS 66046 85%220$65,478$233,700$199 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Stephenville, TX 76401 85%276$61,210$270,000$200 Very close on everything we compare
Lubbock, TX 79407 85%328$61,509$205,200$150 cheaper homes ($54K 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.