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 Montgomery, AL 36109

Montgomery: median income $59,193, home value $140,600, $102/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Topeka, KS 66605 89%698$59,106$170,500$126 pricier homes ($30K more)
Oskaloosa, IA 52577 87%710$66,084$163,300$116 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Harper Woods, MI 48225 86%718$61,750$153,800$102 older homes
Erie, PA 16504 85%753$56,622$116,400$125 older homes
Toledo, OH 43611 85%662$62,042$132,000$145 older homes
Toledo, OH 43613 85%660$64,384$136,200$132 older homes
Terre Haute, IN 47803 85%493$60,565$156,300$138 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Dodge, IA 50501 85%823$66,888$153,500$112 more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Pekin, IL 61554 84%596$65,194$127,600$107 larger
Florissant, MO 63033 84%498$66,776$173,700$126 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Saint Louis, MO 63114 84%494$55,870$116,800$148 older homes
Saint Louis, MO 63135 84%495$52,328$107,400$92 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older homes
Independence, MO 64055 84%649$62,439$176,700$142 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Salina, KS 67401 84%779$64,606$180,200$115 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Cleveland, OH 44125 83%675$57,363$116,500$127 older homes
Dayton, OH 45420 83%520$60,588$131,300$153 older homes
Beech Grove, IN 46107 83%507$56,799$181,100$126 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Indianapolis, IN 46203 83%509$57,393$168,200$137 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · older homes
Lansing, MI 48906 83%723$64,315$139,700$132 more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Cedar Rapids, IA 52405 83%728$70,123$185,500$137 pricier homes ($45K more)
Burlington, IA 52601 83%642$60,983$124,200$101 older residents · older homes
Belleville, IL 62220 83%473$65,952$157,400$112 more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Florissant, MO 63031 83%500$70,811$154,300$141 larger
North Little Rock, AR 72118 83%389$49,559$123,100$108 more renters
Tulsa, OK 74112 83%610$58,951$160,800$153 older 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.