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 Las Cruces, NM 88001

Las Cruces: median income $33,087, home value $163,800, $154/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hattiesburg, MS 39401 89%1,026$41,127$134,300$120 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Valdosta, GA 31601 87%1,381$36,111$142,200$141 Very close on everything we compare
Ruston, LA 71270 86%823$36,791$222,300$161 pricier homes ($59K more)
Lynchburg, VA 24501 83%1,598$42,222$174,900$161 smaller · more walkable
Huntsville, AL 35805 83%1,170$35,385$137,800$142 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · more walkable
Waco, TX 76706 82%567$41,656$197,000$174 pricier homes ($33K more)
Florence, AL 35630 81%1,112$46,304$174,800$132 older residents
Spartanburg, SC 29306 80%1,437$41,356$177,500$152 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Russellville, AR 72801 80%808$47,830$163,700$129 smaller
Lubbock, TX 79415 80%297$36,468$96,400$139 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Fayetteville, NC 28301 79%1,609$39,198$122,400$146 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · older residents
Jonesboro, AR 72401 79%950$45,329$188,600$124 Very close on everything we compare
Pascagoula, MS 39581 78%1,082$37,927$153,100$91 smaller
Baton Rouge, LA 70802 78%927$34,458$99,800$102 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · older homes
Laredo, TX 78040 78%545$36,092$118,700$151 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Greensboro, NC 27401 77%1,559$47,972$156,500$177 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Wilson, NC 27893 77%1,662$42,810$158,600$155 older residents
Columbia, SC 29203 77%1,489$46,054$141,300$148 older residents
Nacogdoches, TX 75961 77%720$41,495$141,200— smaller · less walkable
Brunswick, GA 31520 76%1,483$40,071$147,500$155 smaller · older residents · older homes
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401 76%1,115$29,152$144,500$227 younger residents · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Troy, AL 36081 76%1,216$44,375$198,800$113 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · less walkable
El Paso, TX 79904 76%35$41,841$127,100$142 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Mcallen, TX 78501 75%663$48,071$161,000$129 larger · older residents
Lubbock, TX 79414 75%294$49,057$157,500$105 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.