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 Buffalo, NY 14201

Buffalo: median income $40,512, home value $337,600, $194/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Spokane, WA 99201 90%1,883$41,171$312,600$207 cheaper homes ($25K less) · older residents
Hartford, CT 06105 87%325$41,937$402,300$157 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Cleveland, OH 44106 84%169$43,170$255,700$144 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
New Orleans, LA 70113 83%1,088$39,333$305,800$141 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents
Spokane, WA 99204 81%1,883$58,277$397,700$199 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
New Haven, CT 06519 79%324$49,619$316,700$181 Very close on everything we compare
Columbus, OH 43203 79%293$47,572$319,300$169 newer homes
Cincinnati, OH 45229 79%390$32,263$285,900$133 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
Milwaukee, WI 53212 78%456$47,298$216,300$145 cheaper homes ($121K less) · larger
Saint Louis, MO 63112 78%663$45,542$212,700$135 cheaper homes ($125K less) · more homeowners
Detroit, MI 48202 77%216$43,627$186,500$123 cheaper homes ($151K less)
Springfield, MA 01107 76%324$35,632$243,600$187 cheaper homes ($94K less) · younger residents
Birmingham, AL 35203 76%777$47,434$334,000$274 smaller
Duluth, MN 55805 74%700$43,100$189,400$188 cheaper homes ($148K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
New Orleans, LA 70119 74%1,086$53,143$371,000$195 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · more homeowners
Providence, RI 02907 73%388$52,485$349,200$213 larger · more homeowners
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 73%179$34,897$214,800$211 cheaper homes ($123K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Omaha, NE 68131 72%882$48,925$227,200$161 cheaper homes ($110K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Hartford, CT 06106 71%326$46,304$214,200$187 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger
Lafayette, IN 47901 71%447$47,206$256,500$144 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · more renters
Saint Louis, MO 63108 71%663$55,147$372,200$213 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Cincinnati, OH 45220 70%392$53,440$402,900$200 pricier homes ($65K more) · younger residents
Worcester, MA 01605 69%363$54,642$392,100$270 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Worcester, MA 01610 69%363$51,472$308,700$187 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · younger residents
New London, CT 06320 69%363$59,170$253,300$223 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · more homeowners

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.