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 14204

Buffalo: median income $28,182, home value $152,400, $150/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
North Little Rock, AR 72114 73%912$30,175$130,000$85 younger residents · more single-family homes
San Antonio, TX 78208 73%1,428$26,595$146,600$187 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Memphis, TN 38105 71%802$34,015$90,200$92 cheaper homes ($62K less) · more renters
Louisville, KY 40203 69%484$30,794$197,300$145 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · younger residents
Jacksonville, FL 32202 67%881$34,825$268,800$159 pricier homes ($116K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Fresno, CA 93701 67%2,191$32,768$246,400$172 pricier homes ($94K more) · younger residents · more renters
Hartford, CT 06120 62%325$34,830$184,400$156 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · younger residents
Atlantic City, NJ 08401 62%335$41,126$207,400$211 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · younger residents
Norfolk, VA 23523 62%440$35,533$224,600$153 pricier homes ($72K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Milwaukee, WI 53205 62%459$31,529$124,200$96 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
Corpus Christi, TX 78401 61%1,470$40,841$77,500$99 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · more renters
Fresno, CA 93721 61%2,191$40,033$243,800$157 pricier homes ($91K more) · younger residents · more renters
Huntsville, AL 35805 60%702$35,385$137,800$142 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Montgomery, AL 36104 60%832$33,823$172,700$104 younger residents · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Knoxville, TN 37915 60%548$26,379$210,800$322 pricier homes ($58K more) · younger residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 59%178$34,897$214,800$211 pricier homes ($62K more) · younger residents
Fort Pierce, FL 34950 59%1,070$30,400$213,200$131 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · younger residents
New Orleans, LA 70113 59%1,088$39,333$305,800$141 pricier homes ($153K more) · younger residents · older homes
Louisville, KY 40202 58%483$35,584$257,300$258 pricier homes ($105K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more renters
Newport News, VA 23607 57%427$42,334$171,800$150 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Detroit, MI 48208 57%218$36,194$176,400$195 younger residents · older homes
Saint Louis, MO 63106 57%661$20,679$214,400$88 pricier homes ($62K more) · younger residents · more renters
Pahokee, FL 33476 56%1,115$36,652$154,900$155 younger residents · more homeowners · less walkable
New Orleans, LA 70114 56%1,087$43,493$206,700$150 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · more homeowners
Waterbury, CT 06710 55%311$37,191$228,300$154 pricier homes ($76K more) · younger residents · older homes

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.