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 Stillwater, OK 74075

Stillwater: median income $46,053, home value $228,100, $161/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bowling Green, OH 43402 93%807$52,426$243,100$166 Very close on everything we compare
Manhattan, KS 66502 93%213$54,833$223,100$153 larger
Vermillion, SD 57069 92%460$53,327$231,200$142 smaller
Starkville, MS 39759 90%503$46,398$256,900$173 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Iowa City, IA 52240 90%483$52,960$242,300$181 Very close on everything we compare
Oxford, OH 45056 89%711$49,233$250,700$188 more walkable
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 89%744$43,639$208,600$159 older homes
Columbia, MO 65201 89%324$48,113$248,400$184 larger
Athens, GA 30605 88%790$50,062$314,200$203 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
Nacogdoches, TX 75965 87%336$55,291$244,500$151 older residents
Greenville, NC 27858 86%1,103$59,713$251,100$162 larger
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 86%829$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Ruston, LA 71270 86%355$36,791$222,300$161 Very close on everything we compare
Morgantown, WV 26505 85%963$45,536$278,000$170 pricier homes ($50K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Laramie, WY 82072 85%582$53,863$324,100$200 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller
Athens, OH 45701 84%845$53,075$227,400$153 more walkable
Central, SC 29630 83%808$55,264$234,500$173 smaller · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Statesboro, GA 30458 83%908$52,038$231,300$177 larger · 6 min longer commute
Troy, AL 36081 83%703$44,375$198,800$113 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Platteville, WI 53818 83%575$55,567$236,700$157 smaller · older homes
Lawrence, KS 66044 83%224$55,955$235,000$199 older homes
Houghton, MI 49931 82%875$50,408$232,800$162 smaller
Fayetteville, AR 72701 81%163$55,506$355,300$218 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Auburn, AL 36832 80%702$42,717$263,900$210 pricier homes ($36K more) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Bloomington, IN 47408 80%617$45,644$346,900$188 pricier homes ($119K more) · more walkable

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.