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 Berea, OH 44017

Berea: median income $75,231, home value $198,400, $170/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oak Park, MI 48237 95%102$71,510$212,300$165 larger
Beaver Falls, PA 15010 94%89$71,200$192,900$156 larger
Clairton, PA 15025 94%124$76,531$227,800$187 pricier homes ($29K more)
Erie, PA 16511 94%110$74,102$172,300$152 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Latonia, KY 41015 94%214$65,683$187,700$156 Very close on everything we compare
Grove City, PA 16127 93%93$72,429$213,700$191 Very close on everything we compare
Racine, WI 53402 93%319$75,751$230,800$190 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Saint Louis, MO 63123 92%488$77,055$219,400$193 larger
Monaca, PA 15061 91%95$73,010$209,800$194 Very close on everything we compare
Pittsburgh, PA 15234 91%118$78,366$206,600$206 Very close on everything we compare
Madison Heights, MI 48071 91%101$69,503$199,100$196 larger
Des Moines, IA 50310 91%611$76,381$222,700$212 larger
Schenectady, NY 12303 90%417$84,375$238,100$226 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Schenectady, NY 12306 90%416$83,202$222,500$213 larger
Tonawanda, NY 14150 90%191$71,406$200,700$205 larger · older residents
New Cumberland, PA 17070 90%273$88,000$253,700$163 pricier homes ($55K more)
Reading, PA 19609 90%315$82,576$247,300$188 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Fort Wayne, IN 46815 90%167$73,239$209,500$141 newer homes
Boone, IA 50036 90%621$79,255$194,400$171 Very close on everything we compare
Janesville, WI 53545 90%380$73,889$220,700$168 Very close on everything we compare
Griffith, IN 46319 89%288$74,662$203,300$152 5 min longer commute
Warren, MI 48092 89%100$73,808$220,400$156 Very close on everything we compare
Dearborn, MI 48124 89%96$81,796$204,200$170 larger
Racine, WI 53405 89%320$69,242$174,000$185 Very close on everything we compare
Minneapolis, MN 55430 89%629$75,716$256,800$179 pricier homes ($58K more)

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.