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 Lubbock, TX 79416

Lubbock: median income $63,896, home value $213,700, $147/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Valdosta, GA 31602 95%1,102$56,939$217,300$132 Very close on everything we compare
Columbus, GA 31909 93%987$69,166$221,300$149 Very close on everything we compare
Rolla, MO 65401 92%644$56,081$222,800$138 Very close on everything we compare
Warrensburg, MO 64093 91%580$61,094$236,300$155 Very close on everything we compare
Weatherford, OK 73096 91%228$59,138$248,600$134 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Brookings, SD 57006 90%790$66,337$273,900$155 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Lafayette, LA 70506 90%624$57,379$218,000$135 older homes
Fayetteville, NC 28314 89%1,309$62,249$185,700$148 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 89%832$62,301$234,000$154 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 89%1,153$51,267$170,800$148 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Menomonie, WI 54751 89%944$72,028$253,000$168 pricier homes ($39K more)
Mankato, MN 56001 89%845$69,531$276,700$158 pricier homes ($63K more) · older homes
Fayetteville, NC 28311 88%1,315$62,170$216,900$151 8 min longer commute
Springfield, MO 65807 88%545$53,870$192,400$162 larger
Wichita, KS 67220 88%389$64,338$214,800$118 smaller
Norman, OK 73071 88%282$64,007$215,200$160 7 min longer commute
Stillwater, OK 74074 88%326$52,998$258,700$164 pricier homes ($45K more)
Augusta, GA 30909 87%1,142$71,364$242,400$155 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents
Bloomington, IN 47403 87%935$70,582$239,700$185 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Saint Cloud, MN 56301 87%922$73,142$288,600$149 pricier homes ($75K more)
Alexandria, LA 71303 87%572$67,156$244,200$143 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents
Greensboro, NC 27407 86%1,261$59,427$223,900$179 older residents
Greenville, NC 27858 86%1,402$59,713$251,100$162 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Maryville, MO 64468 86%608$57,251$211,100$122 smaller · older homes
Junction City, KS 66441 86%471$59,522$169,800$115 cheaper homes ($44K 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.