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 Columbus, OH 43217

Columbus: median income $61,356, home value $56,900, $96/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Topeka, KS 66619 41%685$51,528$89,900$104 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · more homeowners
Bagdad, AZ 86321 40%1,695$94,006$50,900— higher income ($33K more) · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Cactus, TX 79013 39%1,069$45,106$81,500$72 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners · newer homes
Calcium, NY 13616 34%465$45,962$144,400$182 pricier homes ($88K more) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Reading, PA 19602 33%372$34,582$96,000$121 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Kincheloe, MI 49788 33%451$57,524$112,200$70 pricier homes ($55K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Wendover, UT 84083 32%1,632$44,173$164,600$171 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Troy, NY 12183 31%520$59,406$138,300$110 pricier homes ($81K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Evans Mills, NY 13637 31%468$57,103$176,200$142 pricier homes ($119K more) · larger · more homeowners
Midway Park, NC 28544 30%468$52,354$141,700$172 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · more homeowners
Killeen, TX 76541 30%1,025$37,349$116,300$94 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · older residents
Trenton, NJ 08609 29%434$68,238$103,700$205 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · older residents
Minersville, PA 17954 29%357$53,806$83,300$64 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · older residents
Kalamazoo, MI 49007 29%220$39,344$111,300$106 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · more homeowners
Topeka, KS 66603 29%682$44,688$107,900$45 pricier homes ($51K more) · 11 min shorter commute · more homeowners
California, PA 15419 28%162$43,813$126,000$110 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · younger residents
Camden, NJ 08104 27%415$38,170$93,100$158 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · older residents
Tulsa, OK 74116 27%746$55,156$156,200$173 pricier homes ($99K more) · larger · older residents
Sharpsburg, NC 27878 26%390$53,382$111,500— pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · older residents
Springfield, MO 65806 26%588$28,165$88,600$138 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Herlong, CA 96113 26%1,957$67,083$73,900— older residents · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Camden, NJ 08102 25%414$33,852$84,500$80 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Reading, PA 19604 25%373$52,905$119,000$133 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · more homeowners
Lansing, MI 48933 25%218$33,589$112,900$83 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($56K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Muskegon, MI 49440 25%291$46,808$176,400$193 pricier homes ($120K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute

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.