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 Toledo, OH 43620

Toledo: median income $23,483, home value $131,300, $67/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Macon, GA 31201 84%612$29,420$171,400$88 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
South Bend, IN 46601 79%139$30,789$145,000$96 Very close on everything we compare
Rochester, NY 14605 66%321$21,201$82,700$76 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · newer homes
Montgomery, AL 36104 66%660$33,823$172,700$104 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · newer homes
North Little Rock, AR 72114 65%671$30,175$130,000$85 larger · newer homes
Muncie, IN 47305 63%140$36,389$77,800$71 cheaper homes ($54K less) · less walkable
Rochester, NY 14611 62%319$31,376$82,400$88 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Erie, PA 16507 60%181$33,361$66,400$85 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · younger residents
Terre Haute, IN 47807 60%252$24,706$71,200$46 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · younger residents
Erie, PA 16502 59%180$38,566$93,000$84 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Rochester, NY 14613 58%319$37,778$120,600$84 larger · 6 min longer commute
Memphis, TN 38107 58%568$35,265$152,000$83 larger · more single-family homes · newer homes
Rochester, NY 14608 57%319$40,646$187,000$97 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Detroit, MI 48214 57%56$33,544$147,300$113 larger · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Buffalo, NY 14211 56%257$36,300$106,400$99 larger · more homeowners
Milwaukee, WI 53206 56%244$29,336$83,400$59 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Erie, PA 16503 55%182$32,340$64,600$58 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
Harrisburg, PA 17103 55%362$39,825$137,900$90 larger · more homeowners
Louisville, KY 40203 55%264$30,794$197,300$145 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · newer homes
Detroit, MI 48215 55%58$33,812$111,000$98 larger · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Syracuse, NY 13205 54%389$38,497$99,000$73 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · more homeowners
Buffalo, NY 14207 54%254$39,753$133,600$103 larger
Camden, NJ 08102 53%457$33,852$84,500$80 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Gary, IN 46402 53%195$33,529$85,400$60 cheaper homes ($46K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Kalamazoo, MI 49007 53%113$39,344$111,300$106 larger · younger residents · less walkable

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.