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.

Reset

Towns most like Mcallen, TX 78501

Mcallen: median income $48,071, home value $161,000, $129/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Montgomery, AL 36116 93%836$55,160$149,500$120 Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, MO 65807 92%810$53,870$192,400$162 pricier homes ($31K more)
Columbia, SC 29203 91%1,160$46,054$141,300$148 older homes
Lansing, MI 48911 91%1,374$56,631$146,600$133 older homes
Joplin, MO 64801 91%783$52,620$180,600$137 smaller
Toledo, OH 43615 90%1,350$57,713$153,400$138 Very close on everything we compare
Sumter, SC 29150 89%1,192$50,965$169,700$133 smaller
Florence, AL 35630 89%865$46,304$174,800$132 smaller · older homes
Mobile, AL 36609 89%684$49,830$205,300$133 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 89%645$41,127$134,300$120 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents
Grandview, MO 64030 89%901$53,216$188,800$149 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · older homes
Lafayette, LA 70506 89%466$57,379$218,000$135 pricier homes ($57K more)
Jonesboro, AR 72401 89%800$45,329$188,600$124 pricier homes ($28K more)
Tahlequah, OK 74464 89%697$51,262$174,000$143 smaller · less walkable
Greensboro, NC 27405 88%1,285$47,431$174,900$164 Very close on everything we compare
Monroe, LA 71203 88%575$52,326$185,100$132 smaller · less walkable
Wilson, NC 27893 87%1,367$42,810$158,600$155 smaller
Fayetteville, NC 28303 87%1,296$58,223$189,500$142 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Albany, GA 31707 87%925$50,862$133,900$98 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Gainesville, FL 32609 87%1,001$49,406$178,900$187 smaller
Phenix City, AL 36867 87%905$48,026$207,600$148 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Mishawaka, IN 46545 87%1,270$56,865$177,900$159 smaller
Terre Haute, IN 47802 87%1,106$57,395$170,200$136 smaller
Natchitoches, LA 71457 87%493$46,668$197,000$134 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller · less walkable
Jacksonville, AR 72076 87%702$54,379$163,600$127 smaller

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.