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 Dayton, OH 45416

Dayton: median income $46,174, home value $81,100, $92/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Corpus Christi, TX 78416 88%1,122$43,198$94,600$93 larger
Charleston, WV 25387 87%173$43,063$91,400$122 6 min shorter commute
San Antonio, TX 78225 86%1,082$46,955$119,600$90 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Glassport, PA 15045 84%234$47,803$82,700$83 more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Topeka, KS 66616 84%609$51,893$82,900$97 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Birmingham, AL 35228 83%462$50,815$93,700$61 larger
Frederick, OK 73542 82%893$49,734$96,300$81 less walkable
Corpus Christi, TX 78407 82%1,120$47,688$98,800$72 smaller
Burton, MI 48529 81%221$41,333$86,700$113 larger · more apartments and townhomes
East Saint Louis, IL 62203 81%322$42,111$68,700$46 Very close on everything we compare
Refugio, TX 78377 80%1,086$49,974$97,000$87 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Tulsa, OK 74126 79%684$42,172$69,200$125 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Birmingham, AL 35224 78%459$42,639$80,000$76 less walkable
Terre Haute, IN 47804 78%168$40,674$94,200$88 larger · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Creve Coeur, IL 61610 78%288$47,993$85,500$102 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Blackwell, OK 74631 78%735$53,964$86,500$62 less walkable
Birmingham, AL 35208 77%459$38,561$97,100$55 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Flint, MI 48506 77%228$47,929$91,900$104 larger · 5 min longer commute
Brownfield, TX 79316 77%1,098$43,063$103,900$89 larger · less walkable
Lubbock, TX 79404 77%1,064$51,630$85,600$96 larger · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Pana, IL 62557 76%260$51,389$88,900$91 more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Anadarko, OK 73005 76%833$46,176$95,300$102 younger residents · less walkable
Mobile, AL 36612 75%662$38,056$90,900$101 smaller · less walkable
East Alton, IL 62024 75%318$56,761$126,500$102 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · less walkable
Saint Louis, MO 63133 75%333$39,293$65,100$82 more renters · more apartments and townhomes

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.