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 Norfolk, VA 23508

Norfolk: median income $74,885, home value $408,100, $224/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Columbia, SC 29205 83%332$64,231$349,700$234 cheaper homes ($58K less) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Saint Paul, MN 55108 81%1,040$86,308$375,600$233 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents
Omaha, NE 68132 80%1,096$68,221$333,900$193 cheaper homes ($74K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
New Haven, CT 06515 79%355$73,709$328,900$254 cheaper homes ($79K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Cincinnati, OH 45227 79%467$71,646$298,800$224 cheaper homes ($109K less) · older residents
Dallas, TX 75208 79%1,197$81,950$438,400$281 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · older residents
Richardson, TX 75080 78%1,187$92,903$447,100$272 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · older residents
Columbus, OH 43206 77%418$75,806$317,300$193 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older residents · older homes
Saint Paul, MN 55104 77%1,039$75,712$317,700$207 cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger · older residents
Duluth, MN 55812 77%1,059$65,505$322,700$213 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Birmingham, AL 35222 76%635$84,066$399,800$251 smaller · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Minneapolis, MN 55407 76%1,042$78,464$335,400$228 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger · older residents
Mission, KS 66202 76%1,009$75,129$284,900$229 cheaper homes ($123K less) · older residents · newer homes
Indianapolis, IN 46205 75%570$72,417$304,500$135 cheaper homes ($104K less) · older residents · older homes
New Orleans, LA 70118 75%929$63,750$465,600$253 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · older residents
Houston, TX 77096 75%1,212$82,852$432,600$214 larger · older residents · newer homes
Denver, CO 80223 75%1,562$79,151$539,900$355 pricier homes ($132K more) · older residents
Portland, OR 97203 75%2,450$78,660$484,400$308 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger · older residents
Albany, NY 12203 74%422$83,147$279,500$213 cheaper homes ($129K less) · larger · older residents
Albany, NY 12208 74%420$70,413$264,700$207 cheaper homes ($143K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Portland, OR 97218 74%2,444$88,924$496,600$316 pricier homes ($89K more) · older residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15208 73%314$63,086$321,100$226 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · older residents
Columbus, OH 43209 73%417$89,713$392,500$256 older residents
Saint Louis, MO 63130 73%775$85,823$316,100$202 cheaper homes ($92K less) · older residents · older homes
Worcester, MA 01609 72%442$68,381$444,000$267 pricier homes ($36K more) · more apartments and townhomes

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.