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 Dyer, IN 46311

Dyer: median income $116,652, home value $331,600, $184/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mokena, IL 60448 98%20$120,761$385,900$208 pricier homes ($54K more)
Algonquin, IL 60102 96%62$132,949$349,900$206 Very close on everything we compare
Shorewood, IL 60404 96%37$122,171$335,800$190 Very close on everything we compare
Oxford, MI 48371 95%235$111,239$370,200$196 pricier homes ($39K more)
Tinley Park, IL 60487 94%17$131,793$351,300$189 Very close on everything we compare
Easton, PA 18040 93%641$107,016$360,800$220 pricier homes ($29K more)
Douglassville, PA 19518 93%620$114,181$354,700$210 Very close on everything we compare
Macomb, MI 48042 93%249$126,667$410,000$192 pricier homes ($78K more)
Riverview, FL 33569 92%988$105,275$372,500$206 pricier homes ($41K more)
Macomb, MI 48044 92%250$117,856$370,300$168 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Lake In The Hills, IL 60156 92%64$117,151$321,900$201 younger residents
Oswego, IL 60543 92%45$119,371$343,800$206 larger
Sewell, NJ 08080 91%662$122,262$357,000$229 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Forest Hill, MD 21050 91%598$125,208$456,800$204 pricier homes ($125K more)
Hampstead, MD 21074 91%573$108,536$378,100$217 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Gulf Breeze, FL 32563 91%767$100,396$388,000$221 pricier homes ($56K more)
Apopka, FL 32712 91%945$108,734$422,700$208 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Lakeland, FL 33812 91%986$103,052$373,700$206 pricier homes ($42K more)
Trussville, AL 35173 91%545$117,105$345,300$184 Very close on everything we compare
Alexandria, KY 41001 91%241$102,447$283,600$185 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Cary, IL 60013 91%63$120,604$314,400$190 older homes
Lockport, IL 60441 91%29$103,374$297,300$215 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Plainfield, IL 60544 91%36$108,304$336,300$212 Very close on everything we compare
Sugar Grove, IL 60554 91%52$122,734$386,400$205 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Waterloo, IL 62298 91%260$101,155$290,200$158 cheaper homes ($41K less)

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.