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 14211

Buffalo: median income $36,300, home value $106,400, $99/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Erie, PA 16502 92%85$38,566$93,000$84 smaller
Cleveland, OH 44109 91%179$42,872$122,200$124 larger
East Chicago, IN 46312 87%450$42,125$105,400$101 less walkable
Cleveland, OH 44102 86%179$42,714$113,400$126 larger
Kansas City, KS 66101 86%863$42,551$106,300$123 smaller
Detroit, MI 48215 85%213$33,812$111,000$98 smaller · newer homes
Cincinnati, OH 45205 83%398$43,682$127,900$106 7 min longer commute
Dayton, OH 45403 83%352$38,323$87,500$109 smaller · more single-family homes
Rockford, IL 61104 83%523$33,772$90,100$100 less walkable
Harrisburg, PA 17103 82%208$39,825$137,900$90 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Saint Louis, MO 63111 82%669$47,039$128,400$101 6 min longer commute
Cleveland, OH 44108 81%171$34,745$67,700$67 cheaper homes ($39K less) · older residents
Dayton, OH 45405 81%353$43,973$84,200$74 older residents
Milwaukee, WI 53210 81%462$48,217$174,400$100 pricier homes ($68K more)
Kansas City, MO 64124 81%859$46,241$112,000$130 smaller · more single-family homes
Des Moines, IA 50314 80%762$39,950$147,900$140 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53216 80%462$46,752$143,400$125 pricier homes ($37K more) · newer homes
Highland Park, MI 48203 79%220$38,404$76,200$70 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Dayton, OH 45410 77%353$46,651$110,600$99 smaller · more single-family homes
Duluth, MN 55806 77%703$42,833$161,400$150 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Kansas City, MO 64127 77%859$33,111$91,200$94 more single-family homes
Saint Joseph, MO 64501 77%857$46,731$98,600$114 smaller · more single-family homes
Wichita, KS 67214 77%1,036$35,192$76,200$84 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Erie, PA 16503 76%83$32,340$64,600$58 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Canton, OH 44703 76%196$31,957$81,200$88 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · 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.