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 Memphis, TN 38105

Memphis: median income $34,015, home value $90,200, $92/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Corpus Christi, TX 78401 85%668$40,841$77,500$99 older residents
Camden, NJ 08102 76%880$33,852$84,500$80 younger residents · older homes
North Little Rock, AR 72114 74%129$30,175$130,000$85 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Buffalo, NY 14204 71%802$28,182$152,400$150 pricier homes ($62K more) · more homeowners
Milwaukee, WI 53205 68%557$31,529$124,200$96 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · younger residents
Lansing, MI 48933 65%601$33,589$112,900$83 smaller · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Montgomery, AL 36104 62%287$33,823$172,700$104 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger · younger residents
Albany, NY 12206 61%1,014$41,548$162,300$112 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · younger residents
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 61%480$35,060$157,100$198 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller · younger residents
Huntsville, AL 35816 60%195$40,242$128,900$128 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · younger residents
Cincinnati, OH 45214 60%408$27,852$100,500$93 larger · younger residents · older homes
Amarillo, TX 79101 59%667$47,759$167,600$91 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · older residents
Roanoke, VA 24016 57%580$46,512$119,700$129 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · younger residents
Louisville, KY 40203 57%319$30,794$197,300$145 pricier homes ($107K more) · larger · younger residents
Hartford, CT 06120 56%1,042$34,830$184,400$156 pricier homes ($94K more) · larger · younger residents
Schenectady, NY 12307 56%1,011$24,758$104,600$122 younger residents · more homeowners · older homes
South Bend, IN 46601 56%495$30,789$145,000$96 pricier homes ($55K more) · less walkable · older homes
Camden, NJ 08104 55%880$38,170$93,100$158 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Rochester, NY 14605 55%865$21,201$82,700$76 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Cincinnati, OH 45232 55%412$28,367$130,500$87 pricier homes ($40K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Syracuse, NY 13203 54%922$46,997$156,900$118 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger · more homeowners
Allentown, PA 18101 54%878$44,773$171,300$136 pricier homes ($81K more) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Jacksonville, FL 32202 54%590$34,825$268,800$159 pricier homes ($179K more)
Fresno, CA 93721 54%1,661$40,033$243,800$157 pricier homes ($154K more)
Syracuse, NY 13202 53%921$27,000$88,500$202 younger residents · 5 min shorter commute · 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.