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 Rochester, NY 14604

Rochester: median income $52,105, home value $784,700, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Knoxville, TN 37902 81%600$50,161$687,500$579 cheaper homes ($97K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Richmond, VA 23219 77%388$57,507$380,700$361 cheaper homes ($404K less)
Wichita, KS 67202 72%1,101$58,234$407,100$275 cheaper homes ($378K less) · smaller · newer homes
Portland, OR 97205 67%2,204$57,288$637,100$387 cheaper homes ($148K less) · larger · older residents
Omaha, NE 68102 63%945$64,111$389,400$329 cheaper homes ($395K less) · larger · more homeowners
Portland, ME 04101 62%370$63,880$617,600$568 cheaper homes ($167K less) · larger · older residents
Detroit, MI 48226 60%282$64,860$324,500$492 cheaper homes ($460K less) · larger · newer homes
Boston, MA 02115 56%335$54,991$945,100$1,195 pricier homes ($160K more) · larger · younger residents
Salt Lake City, UT 84102 56%1,755$52,199$548,700$364 cheaper homes ($236K less) · larger · more homeowners
Providence, RI 02903 55%329$64,476$408,900$475 cheaper homes ($376K less) · larger · older residents
New Haven, CT 06510 55%271$58,913$651,800$389 cheaper homes ($133K less) · newer homes
San Antonio, TX 78205 55%1,494$38,964$604,600$518 cheaper homes ($180K less) · smaller · older residents
Philadelphia, PA 19107 54%255$69,105$458,600$357 cheaper homes ($326K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Sacramento, CA 95814 54%2,288$58,284$633,200$355 cheaper homes ($152K less) · larger · older residents
Lafayette, IN 47901 53%514$47,206$256,500$144 cheaper homes ($528K less)
Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120 52%335$64,289$885,900$485 pricier homes ($101K more) · larger · younger residents
Berkeley, CA 94704 52%2,346$50,129$906,100$961 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90028 50%2,261$61,349$1,043,100$675 pricier homes ($258K more) · larger · older residents
San Francisco, CA 94108 50%2,355$65,388$1,134,100$1,184 pricier homes ($349K more) · larger · older residents
Burbank, CA 91502 49%2,257$52,473$879,200$703 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger · older residents
Sacramento, CA 95811 49%2,288$80,827$761,000$400 higher income ($29K more) · larger · more homeowners
Oklahoma City, OK 73102 48%1,185$59,338$436,500$181 cheaper homes ($348K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80246 46%1,429$67,235$716,400$405 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Tucson, AZ 85701 46%1,958$51,794$492,100$338 cheaper homes ($293K less) · larger · older residents
Hartford, CT 06103 45%269$71,677$275,000$256 cheaper homes ($510K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer 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.