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 Carmel, IN 46033

Carmel: median income $153,143, home value $487,100, $185/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Powell, OH 43065 97%159$154,481$482,200$215 Very close on everything we compare
Rochester, MI 48306 96%243$163,684$546,000$213 pricier homes ($59K more)
Knoxville, TN 37922 93%304$132,807$523,800$245 pricier homes ($37K more)
Westerville, OH 43082 93%170$147,972$458,200$214 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Hudson, OH 44236 93%259$168,595$457,400$242 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Flower Mound, TX 75028 92%775$149,436$488,700$233 Very close on everything we compare
Prospect, KY 40059 91%115$152,727$559,300$210 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · older residents
Spring, TX 77382 91%859$162,384$566,500$222 pricier homes ($79K more)
Midlothian, VA 23113 90%485$142,344$614,100$235 pricier homes ($127K more)
Collierville, TN 38017 90%393$138,677$495,200$180 Very close on everything we compare
Troy, MI 48098 90%236$164,759$509,400$205 smaller
Spring, TX 77381 90%860$143,565$473,600$231 Very close on everything we compare
Birmingham, AL 35226 89%456$124,516$411,000$193 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($76K less)
Knoxville, TN 37934 89%302$132,264$529,100$241 pricier homes ($42K more)
Dexter, MI 48130 89%200$129,254$480,500$249 smaller
Mckinney, TX 75072 89%748$165,682$502,700$210 Very close on everything we compare
Sugar Land, TX 77479 89%898$156,735$478,300$182 larger · 7 min longer commute
Marietta, GA 30068 88%425$150,101$599,400$228 pricier homes ($112K more) · older homes
Tallahassee, FL 32312 88%661$123,032$432,100$228 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($55K less)
Mechanicsville, VA 23116 87%497$141,711$433,900$228 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Madison, MS 39110 87%565$125,506$362,600$180 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($125K less)
Solon, OH 44139 87%262$138,425$389,700$211 cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller · older homes
Troy, MI 48085 87%238$146,390$423,800$218 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · older homes
Lake Orion, MI 48360 87%240$140,865$387,500$181 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller
Maple Grove, MN 55311 87%514$153,568$487,300$192 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.