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 Cincinnati, OH 45243

Cincinnati: median income $171,172, home value $627,000, $288/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Leawood, KS 66206 93%551$174,394$672,100$289 pricier homes ($45K more)
Franklin, MI 48025 92%238$185,000$544,500$246 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 92%239$167,143$708,300$271 pricier homes ($81K more)
New Haven, CT 06525 91%619$188,750$588,100$261 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 91%241$178,103$661,900$229 pricier homes ($35K more)
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 88%791$146,054$729,800$426 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($103K more) · smaller
Birmingham, AL 35223 88%415$168,278$775,100$284 pricier homes ($148K more) · smaller
White Rock, NM 87547 88%1,217$156,444$505,900$332 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55439 87%607$168,693$649,800$268 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Longmeadow, MA 01106 86%648$147,935$452,100$258 cheaper homes ($175K less)
Littleton, CO 80121 86%1,098$142,056$707,900$311 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($81K more)
West Hartford, CT 06117 85%635$171,707$472,300$271 cheaper homes ($155K less) · more renters
Troy, MI 48098 85%244$164,759$509,400$205 cheaper homes ($118K less) · newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63131 85%331$225,493$778,100$283 higher income ($54K more) · pricier homes ($151K more)
Hockessin, DE 19707 84%463$172,696$556,600$211 cheaper homes ($70K less) · newer homes
Elm Grove, WI 53122 84%330$157,962$514,800$268 cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller · more walkable
Minnetonka, MN 55345 84%613$145,332$504,000$227 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($123K less)
Long Lake, MN 55356 84%620$156,622$707,800$295 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller · newer homes
Libertyville, IL 60048 84%285$173,975$551,200$288 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Orange, CT 06477 83%614$142,325$491,500$290 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($136K less) · 6 min longer commute
Pennington, NJ 08534 83%513$175,573$573,000$324 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Severna Park, MD 21146 83%417$172,122$659,800$317 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Nashville, TN 37220 83%253$180,417$818,200$392 pricier homes ($191K more) · smaller
Excelsior, MN 55331 83%616$159,450$737,000$273 pricier homes ($110K more) · newer homes
Topsfield, MA 01983 82%738$195,718$853,400$402 pricier homes ($226K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute

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.