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 Youngstown, OH 44509

Youngstown: median income $36,570, home value $57,900, $84/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saginaw, MI 48601 88%229$38,900$62,800$79 larger
Ecorse, MI 48229 86%149$40,264$65,400$90 younger residents
Huntington, WV 25702 84%206$40,708$82,900$76 pricier homes ($25K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Birmingham, AL 35224 84%626$42,639$80,000$76 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Welch, WV 24801 83%258$29,330$57,800$93 smaller
Mobile, AL 36610 83%827$30,529$57,600— more renters
Gary, IN 46404 83%348$42,256$95,200$92 pricier homes ($37K more)
Tulia, TX 79088 83%1,234$35,804$82,800$57 smaller
Muncie, IN 47302 82%254$47,837$76,800$93 larger
Saginaw, MI 48602 82%232$46,984$73,600$75 larger · younger residents
Marlin, TX 76661 80%1,125$41,056$66,700$78 newer homes
Johnstown, PA 15902 79%109$44,215$65,100$56 more apartments and townhomes
Farrell, PA 16121 79%13$42,595$87,800— pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Charleston, WV 25387 79%197$43,063$91,400$122 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Rockford, IL 61102 79%442$46,599$98,900$105 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger
Hobart, OK 73651 79%1,083$41,273$97,800$62 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Salamanca, NY 14779 78%125$42,593$85,900$104 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Waterloo, IA 50703 78%606$50,060$95,900$84 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Kewanee, IL 61443 78%480$52,615$79,600$69 Very close on everything we compare
Coffeyville, KS 67337 78%848$51,500$75,000$106 more homeowners
Sharon, PA 16146 77%13$45,670$78,800$54 more apartments and townhomes
Rockford, IL 61101 77%442$46,163$90,600$92 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Madison, IL 62060 77%528$46,563$63,300$71 smaller · newer homes
Brownfield, TX 79316 77%1,304$43,063$103,900$89 pricier homes ($46K more) · newer homes
Johnstown, PA 15906 76%106$43,284$57,100$45 Very close on everything we compare

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.