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.

Reset

Towns most like Buffalo, NY 14216

Buffalo: median income $69,629, home value $294,700, $200/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Louis, MO 63104 95%665$68,764$268,900$161 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Pittsburgh, PA 15206 94%180$72,920$317,600$235 Very close on everything we compare
Lakewood, OH 44107 94%181$68,970$262,200$214 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Saint Paul, MN 55102 92%722$76,406$292,200$225 Very close on everything we compare
Pittsburgh, PA 15224 90%181$66,993$246,400$205 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Memphis, TN 38104 89%805$58,117$317,200$167 Very close on everything we compare
Covington, KY 41011 88%399$69,970$304,200$204 newer homes
Grand Rapids, MI 49503 88%343$64,661$241,900$211 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Saint Louis, MO 63110 88%666$81,655$339,900$208 pricier homes ($45K more)
Columbus, OH 43205 87%296$60,181$317,300$160 smaller
New Orleans, LA 70125 87%1,092$61,174$429,200$177 pricier homes ($135K more) · newer homes
New Haven, CT 06515 86%322$73,709$328,900$254 pricier homes ($34K more) · newer homes
Pittsburgh, PA 15208 86%181$63,086$321,100$226 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Louisville, KY 40204 86%485$71,116$329,000$220 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Columbus, OH 43206 86%298$75,806$317,300$193 more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45206 86%394$62,648$271,700$213 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Pittsburgh, PA 15203 85%184$67,345$252,100$189 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · younger residents
Louisville, KY 40206 85%484$75,798$273,900$200 newer homes
Saint Paul, MN 55104 85%724$75,712$317,700$207 larger · more single-family homes
Minneapolis, MN 55405 84%731$73,053$467,700$244 pricier homes ($173K more)
Kansas City, MO 64111 84%862$61,729$286,700$219 more renters
New Orleans, LA 70118 84%1,093$63,750$465,600$253 pricier homes ($171K more) · larger
New Orleans, LA 70119 84%1,090$53,143$371,000$195 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger
Pittsburgh, PA 15202 83%180$68,287$215,700$153 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45212 83%391$72,422$257,700$183 cheaper homes ($37K less) · more single-family 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.