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 Albany, NY 12211

Albany: median income $156,605, home value $398,500, $279/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bay Village, OH 44140 85%426$132,254$353,000$270 cheaper homes ($46K less) · older residents
Longmeadow, MA 01106 84%77$147,935$452,100$258 pricier homes ($54K more) · older residents
Brookfield, WI 53005 84%725$126,739$415,800$239 lower income ($30K less) · larger · older residents
Troy, MI 48085 83%475$146,390$423,800$218 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · older residents
White Rock, NM 87547 82%1,787$156,444$505,900$332 pricier homes ($107K more) · smaller · older residents
Holden, MA 01520 81%102$148,125$478,300$296 pricier homes ($80K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Wilmington, DE 19803 81%221$135,218$457,200$245 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · older residents
Linthicum Heights, MD 21090 81%285$138,119$410,400$233 Very close on everything we compare
Berkley, MI 48072 80%479$116,239$316,700$227 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($82K less) · older homes
Minnetonka, MN 55345 80%992$145,332$504,000$227 pricier homes ($106K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Orange, CT 06477 79%106$142,325$491,500$290 pricier homes ($93K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Linwood, NJ 08221 79%236$156,354$394,700$280 smaller · older residents · more walkable
Cincinnati, OH 45243 79%603$171,172$627,000$288 pricier homes ($229K more) · older residents
Mequon, WI 53097 79%719$135,929$499,800$266 pricier homes ($101K more) · smaller · less walkable
Middlebury, CT 06762 78%88$133,487$476,400$253 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller · older residents
Oakland, NJ 07436 78%119$161,971$591,000$390 pricier homes ($193K more) · 8 min longer commute
Oreland, PA 19075 78%194$120,813$431,300$252 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Duluth, MN 55804 78%936$111,228$315,300$228 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($83K less)
Prairie Village, KS 66208 78%1,117$124,000$445,600$317 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($47K more) · larger
Sandy, UT 84093 78%1,954$138,556$698,900$270 pricier homes ($300K more) · larger · newer homes
Unionville, CT 06085 77%81$141,023$413,600$263 smaller · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Milford, CT 06461 77%108$133,221$424,700$299 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Springfield, PA 19064 77%209$136,893$414,500$286 larger · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Grosse Pointe, MI 48236 77%465$128,242$369,900$208 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
West Hartford, CT 06117 76%83$171,707$472,300$271 pricier homes ($74K more) · older residents · more renters

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.