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 44121

Cleveland: median income $76,767, home value $144,800, $128/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pittsburgh, PA 15235 89%116$67,240$151,800$153 older residents
Latonia, KY 41015 87%233$65,683$187,700$156 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Beaver Falls, PA 15010 86%80$71,200$192,900$156 pricier homes ($48K more)
Pittsburgh, PA 15227 86%114$75,448$185,100$163 pricier homes ($40K more)
Pittsburgh, PA 15226 84%111$73,321$182,900$161 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Dearborn, MI 48124 84%103$81,796$204,200$170 pricier homes ($59K more) · less walkable
Redford, MI 48239 84%108$71,151$158,800$129 Very close on everything we compare
Florissant, MO 63031 84%501$70,811$154,300$141 larger · newer homes
Erie, PA 16511 82%89$74,102$172,300$152 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Oak Park, MI 48237 82%107$71,510$212,300$165 pricier homes ($68K more)
Lansing, MI 48906 82%177$64,315$139,700$132 5 min shorter commute
Belleville, IL 62223 82%495$73,700$159,400$116 smaller · older residents · newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63123 82%508$77,055$219,400$193 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger
West Mifflin, PA 15122 81%118$72,485$151,400$143 smaller · older residents
Hazel Park, MI 48030 81%103$67,073$158,600$169 smaller
Racine, WI 53405 81%333$69,242$174,000$185 pricier homes ($29K more)
Belleville, IL 62220 81%493$65,952$157,400$112 smaller
Tonawanda, NY 14150 80%171$71,406$200,700$205 pricier homes ($56K more)
Wyandotte, MI 48192 80%96$71,987$166,900$152 less walkable
Detroit, MI 48221 80%104$57,878$154,600$100 Very close on everything we compare
Harper Woods, MI 48225 80%95$61,750$153,800$102 smaller
Florissant, MO 63033 80%499$66,776$173,700$126 pricier homes ($29K more) · newer homes
Rochester, NY 14609 79%232$64,603$161,600$167 6 min shorter commute
Rochester, NY 14619 79%227$68,333$134,700$129 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Clairton, PA 15025 79%118$76,531$227,800$187 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller

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.