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 Roanoke, VA 24013

Roanoke: median income $51,290, home value $121,300, $104/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dayton, OH 45410 90%286$46,651$110,600$99 larger
Kansas City, MO 64124 87%803$46,241$112,000$130 younger residents
Kansas City, KS 66101 87%808$42,551$106,300$123 larger
Wichita, KS 67211 87%953$44,120$109,400$95 larger · newer homes
Omaha, NE 68110 87%899$39,813$132,800$122 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Joseph, MO 64501 86%824$46,731$98,600$114 less walkable
Amarillo, TX 79102 85%1,227$51,125$153,100$123 pricier homes ($32K more) · newer homes
Sioux City, IA 51105 84%943$51,786$96,200$120 cheaper homes ($25K less) · younger residents
Kansas City, MO 64132 84%803$45,622$108,000$98 larger · newer homes
Buffalo, NY 14206 82%392$50,450$125,100$122 larger · more homeowners
Louisville, KY 40215 82%326$43,725$114,900$143 larger · newer homes
Dayton, OH 45404 82%288$38,874$86,900$119 cheaper homes ($34K less) · newer homes
Lafayette, IN 47904 82%433$51,687$133,100$163 larger · newer homes
Wichita, KS 67213 82%955$50,170$89,600$108 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · newer homes
Toledo, OH 43612 81%363$50,728$93,800$107 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · newer homes
Terre Haute, IN 47804 81%433$40,674$94,200$88 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more homeowners
Independence, MO 64053 81%799$47,285$80,200$129 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
East Pittsburgh, PA 15112 80%217$47,730$90,400$85 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Scranton, PA 18508 80%367$49,895$145,400$115 less walkable
Cincinnati, OH 45216 79%281$44,099$155,300$120 pricier homes ($34K more)
Dayton, OH 45403 79%286$38,323$87,500$109 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Des Moines, IA 50314 79%789$39,950$147,900$140 pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents
Oklahoma City, OK 73109 79%986$43,133$99,200$109 larger · newer homes
Syracuse, NY 13208 78%448$44,712$123,600$146 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Covington, KY 41014 78%278$61,382$164,700$147 pricier homes ($43K more)

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.