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 Cleveland, OH 44114

Cleveland: median income $44,002, home value $121,900, $59/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lansing, MI 48933 70%170$33,589$112,900$83 smaller · less walkable
Saint Louis, MO 63103 63%493$40,943$202,900$124 pricier homes ($81K more) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Albany, NY 12206 54%413$41,548$162,300$112 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · more homeowners
Peoria, IL 61602 54%416$33,750$231,000$103 pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller
Albany, NY 12207 52%414$58,998$232,000$78 pricier homes ($110K more) · smaller · 12 min longer commute
Memphis, TN 38105 52%630$34,015$90,200$92 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents
Lafayette, IN 47901 51%282$47,206$256,500$144 pricier homes ($135K more) · smaller · older homes
Saint Louis, MO 63102 51%492$65,527$192,100$146 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Syracuse, NY 13210 49%303$41,738$173,600$148 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · more homeowners
Kansas City, MO 64106 49%699$52,564$238,000$173 pricier homes ($116K more) · larger · newer homes
Harrisburg, PA 17102 48%264$54,573$193,700$118 pricier homes ($72K more) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Omaha, NE 68131 48%740$48,925$227,200$161 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger · more homeowners
Camden, NJ 08102 47%360$33,852$84,500$80 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Albany, NY 12202 47%413$52,868$166,000$118 pricier homes ($44K more) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Detroit, MI 48207 47%91$47,831$211,600$123 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger · older residents
Roanoke, VA 24016 46%307$46,512$119,700$129 more homeowners · more single-family homes · older homes
Tulsa, OK 74119 46%854$56,234$251,700$125 pricier homes ($130K more) · smaller · older residents
Allentown, PA 18101 45%329$44,773$171,300$136 pricier homes ($49K more) · 13 min longer commute
Baltimore, MD 21201 44%306$45,640$275,300$178 pricier homes ($153K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Rochester, NY 14608 43%236$40,646$187,000$97 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger · more homeowners
Detroit, MI 48202 43%94$43,627$186,500$123 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Troy, NY 12183 42%418$59,406$138,300$110 smaller · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Syracuse, NY 13204 42%300$45,351$113,000$106 larger · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 42%301$33,329$203,600— pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller · younger residents
Montgomery, AL 36104 42%681$33,823$172,700$104 pricier homes ($51K more) · more homeowners · more single-family 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.