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 Abilene, TX 79606

Abilene: median income $79,196, home value $272,600, $192/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Menomonie, WI 54751 94%960$72,028$253,000$168 Very close on everything we compare
Plover, WI 54467 93%999$87,580$268,600$168 smaller
Eau Claire, WI 54701 93%965$74,361$289,900$184 Very close on everything we compare
Bloomington, IN 47403 92%873$70,582$239,700$185 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Rochester, MN 55904 92%896$77,016$253,600$186 Very close on everything we compare
Dickinson, ND 58601 92%1,008$85,821$278,800$164 Very close on everything we compare
Kearney, NE 68845 92%579$76,978$282,000$147 Very close on everything we compare
Dalton, GA 30720 91%866$69,369$249,800$146 Very close on everything we compare
Columbus, GA 31909 91%865$69,166$221,300$149 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Bowling Green, KY 42104 91%819$75,164$306,400$174 pricier homes ($34K more)
Bellevue, NE 68123 91%639$93,188$290,800$170 Very close on everything we compare
La Vista, NE 68128 91%641$86,410$291,300$171 smaller
Alexandria, LA 71303 91%433$67,156$244,200$143 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Warsaw, IN 46582 90%983$66,738$255,300$165 smaller
Minot, ND 58703 90%1,104$82,728$263,200$143 Very close on everything we compare
Columbia, MO 65202 90%619$72,289$217,900$179 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Salisbury, MD 21804 89%1,422$73,156$243,700$164 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 5 min longer commute
Augusta, GA 30909 89%1,027$71,364$242,400$155 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Knoxville, TN 37923 89%929$73,699$333,000$213 pricier homes ($60K more)
Kenosha, WI 53144 89%959$76,507$259,600$214 7 min longer commute
Bemidji, MN 56601 89%1,081$72,262$260,900$170 more homeowners
Bossier City, LA 71111 89%354$65,292$276,600$157 larger
Ridgecrest, CA 93555 89%1,047$86,700$252,900$184 Very close on everything we compare
Winston-Salem, NC 27103 88%1,139$67,012$241,700$182 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Northport, AL 35473 88%710$69,657$272,800$168 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.