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 Reading, PA 19605

Reading: median income $92,648, home value $233,600, $169/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Highland, IN 46322 91%606$78,062$233,300$168 Very close on everything we compare
Trenton, MI 48183 91%397$83,508$222,500$154 larger
Sterling Heights, MI 48313 91%396$88,065$266,900$175 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
North Olmsted, OH 44070 90%320$84,363$219,800$177 Very close on everything we compare
Tallmadge, OH 44278 90%292$90,120$232,700$185 older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45248 90%471$84,510$217,100$172 Very close on everything we compare
Warren, MI 48092 90%397$73,808$220,400$156 Very close on everything we compare
Mason, MI 48854 90%466$94,716$248,600$164 Very close on everything we compare
Enfield, CT 06082 89%207$90,404$252,900$228 larger
Sturtevant, WI 53177 89%639$90,769$250,000$206 smaller
Green River, WY 82935 89%1,741$87,993$263,400$139 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Rochester, NY 14624 88%210$87,989$184,700$181 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Oregon, OH 43616 88%402$81,829$204,500$169 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Boone, IA 50036 88%938$79,255$194,400$171 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 88%688$82,783$245,900$201 Very close on everything we compare
Owatonna, MN 55060 88%918$84,906$251,100$159 Very close on everything we compare
Red Wing, MN 55066 88%892$73,584$250,500$163 Very close on everything we compare
Minneapolis, MN 55448 88%939$103,461$315,900$188 pricier homes ($82K more) · newer homes
Kansas City, MO 64119 88%988$83,929$229,700$159 larger
Saint Clairsville, OH 43950 87%267$76,175$225,900$177 Very close on everything we compare
Northfield, OH 44067 87%300$86,364$245,100$184 older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45251 87%466$74,614$185,300$159 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Sterling Heights, MI 48310 87%399$78,058$274,700$160 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger
West Bend, WI 53090 87%664$86,152$282,600$205 pricier homes ($49K more)
Kaukauna, WI 54130 87%685$89,131$260,600$196 pricier homes ($27K more) · 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.