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 Birmingham, AL 35223

Birmingham: median income $168,278, home value $775,100, $284/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 92%652$167,143$708,300$271 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 6 min longer commute
Minneapolis, MN 55439 91%862$168,693$649,800$268 cheaper homes ($125K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45243 88%415$171,172$627,000$288 cheaper homes ($148K less) · larger
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 88%655$178,103$661,900$229 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Nashville, TN 37220 87%177$180,417$818,200$392 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Leawood, KS 66206 87%579$174,394$672,100$289 cheaper homes ($103K less) · more walkable
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 86%1,129$146,054$729,800$426 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Franklin, MI 48025 85%651$185,000$544,500$246 cheaper homes ($231K less) · 5 min longer commute
New Haven, CT 06525 84%928$188,750$588,100$261 cheaper homes ($187K less) · 6 min longer commute
Saint Louis, MO 63131 83%410$225,493$778,100$283 higher income ($57K more) · larger
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 81%621$145,882$482,600$258 cheaper homes ($293K less) · larger
Falmouth, ME 04105 80%1,132$150,919$767,500$370 newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63124 80%409$193,942$988,600$376 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($214K more) · more renters
Elm Grove, WI 53122 79%664$157,962$514,800$268 cheaper homes ($260K less) · smaller · more walkable
Wayzata, MN 55391 79%873$174,301$923,400$340 pricier homes ($148K more) · newer homes
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304 78%656$143,204$494,600$204 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($281K less) · larger
Excelsior, MN 55331 78%868$159,450$737,000$273 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Long Lake, MN 55356 78%874$156,622$707,800$295 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Troy, MI 48098 77%658$164,759$509,400$205 cheaper homes ($266K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Birmingham, MI 48009 76%653$153,401$697,900$377 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · younger residents
Berwyn, PA 19312 75%770$204,384$855,000$376 higher income ($36K more) · pricier homes ($80K more) · 10 min longer commute
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350 75%130$201,000$855,300$392 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller
Huntington Woods, MI 48070 75%650$190,150$473,900$262 cheaper homes ($301K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Topsfield, MA 01983 74%1,063$195,718$853,400$402 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller
Littleton, CO 80121 74%1,094$142,056$707,900$311 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger

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.