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 24018

Roanoke: median income $90,885, home value $348,800, $161/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rochester, MN 55906 96%801$93,685$377,800$173 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Bettendorf, IA 52722 95%631$101,546$311,500$188 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Rapid City, SD 57702 95%1,303$91,457$389,700$218 pricier homes ($41K more)
Lancaster, PA 17601 94%281$102,435$354,400$213 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Charles, MO 63303 94%580$99,138$321,100$163 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45241 93%274$103,585$314,500$193 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
New Berlin, WI 53151 93%580$101,176$371,200$231 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Louis, MO 63128 93%569$92,359$338,700$176 Very close on everything we compare
Bridgeport, WV 26330 92%142$88,962$271,800$160 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller
Wadsworth, OH 44281 92%277$89,131$278,800$186 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 92%589$100,031$367,900$240 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Paul, MN 55110 92%863$101,296$360,500$217 Very close on everything we compare
Strongsville, OH 44136 91%296$94,648$293,400$181 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Stow, OH 44224 91%281$94,287$254,500$183 cheaper homes ($94K less)
North Canton, OH 44720 91%255$82,594$243,500$177 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45247 91%284$94,603$288,400$170 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Indianapolis, IN 46256 91%370$93,847$318,200$163 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · younger residents
Portage, MI 49024 91%452$91,105$267,400$165 cheaper homes ($81K less) · younger residents
Saint Louis, MO 63129 91%566$94,888$295,600$170 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Lafayette, LA 70503 91%844$94,688$341,300$144 younger residents
Woodway, TX 76712 91%1,055$97,903$340,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Orchard Park, NY 14127 90%387$109,386$364,900$237 Very close on everything we compare
Harrisburg, PA 17112 90%276$103,876$313,000$179 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Clarks Summit, PA 18411 90%374$98,824$292,500$197 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Greensboro, NC 27455 90%75$94,349$341,500$191 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.