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 College Station, TX 77840

College Station: median income $30,377, home value $244,800, $178/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tallahassee, FL 32304 74%713$32,348$150,900$148 cheaper homes ($94K less) · more walkable
Columbia, SC 29201 66%922$32,297$255,800$213 smaller · more homeowners · more walkable
Champaign, IL 61820 65%798$27,539$184,500$153 cheaper homes ($60K less) · more walkable
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 64%543$29,152$144,500$227 cheaper homes ($100K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Morgantown, WV 26505 63%1,113$45,536$278,000$170 pricier homes ($33K more) · more homeowners
Columbia, MO 65201 59%619$48,113$248,400$184 more homeowners · more single-family homes
Carbondale, IL 62901 58%637$35,089$146,600$99 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Kalamazoo, MI 49006 57%1,000$43,639$208,600$159 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Gainesville, FL 32607 52%833$45,987$321,900$180 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Athens, GA 30601 50%791$39,219$215,400$365 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older residents
Baton Rouge, LA 70820 50%307$47,429$286,600$137 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Gainesville, FL 32601 49%838$30,352$284,300$254 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Athens, GA 30605 47%791$50,062$314,200$203 pricier homes ($69K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Urbana, IL 61801 47%799$36,180$177,100$158 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Tucson, AZ 85719 47%870$42,241$304,300$266 pricier homes ($60K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Pullman, WA 99163 47%1,574$48,231$435,900$228 pricier homes ($191K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Tallahassee, FL 32301 46%717$50,942$226,700$188 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 45%1,354$33,329$203,600— cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · more walkable
Auburn, AL 36832 45%650$42,717$263,900$210 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Minneapolis, MN 55404 45%1,006$41,940$291,600$223 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller · older residents
Stillwater, OK 74075 45%385$46,053$228,100$161 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Provo, UT 84606 45%1,087$52,811$443,600$275 pricier homes ($199K more) · smaller · more walkable
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 44%1,141$31,069$233,500$205 smaller · more homeowners · more walkable
Winston-Salem, NC 27101 44%1,002$44,198$221,000$154 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Huntsville, AL 35816 44%631$40,242$128,900$128 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · older residents

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.