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 South Bend, IN 46601

South Bend: median income $30,789, home value $145,000, $96/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Macon, GA 31201 90%629$29,420$171,400$88 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
Toledo, OH 43620 79%139$23,483$131,300$67 Very close on everything we compare
Cincinnati, OH 45214 78%198$27,852$100,500$93 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · younger residents
Montgomery, AL 36104 74%643$33,823$172,700$104 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · more walkable
Cincinnati, OH 45229 73%198$32,263$285,900$133 pricier homes ($141K more) · larger
Rochester, NY 14608 72%452$40,646$187,000$97 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger · younger residents
Kalamazoo, MI 49007 71%55$39,344$111,300$106 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · younger residents
Cincinnati, OH 45232 70%195$28,367$130,500$87 younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Buffalo, NY 14207 69%386$39,753$133,600$103 larger · younger residents · more walkable
Detroit, MI 48214 69%174$33,544$147,300$113 larger · older residents · 9 min longer commute
North Little Rock, AR 72114 69%578$30,175$130,000$85 larger · newer homes
Rochester, NY 14613 68%451$37,778$120,600$84 larger · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Albany, NY 12206 67%642$41,548$162,300$112 larger · younger residents · more walkable
Detroit, MI 48208 67%169$36,194$176,400$195 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Columbus, OH 43222 66%206$32,321$228,300$140 pricier homes ($83K more) · younger residents · more walkable
Canton, OH 44703 66%260$31,957$81,200$88 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · younger residents
Roanoke, VA 24016 65%453$46,512$119,700$129 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · younger residents
Duluth, MN 55806 65%457$42,833$161,400$150 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Syracuse, NY 13204 64%523$45,351$113,000$106 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · younger residents
Buffalo, NY 14211 64%389$36,300$106,400$99 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · younger residents
Harrisburg, PA 17103 64%499$39,825$137,900$90 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Rockford, IL 61104 64%151$33,772$90,100$100 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Louisville, KY 40203 63%238$30,794$197,300$145 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · younger residents
Rochester, NY 14611 62%451$31,376$82,400$88 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · younger residents
Erie, PA 16502 62%318$38,566$93,000$84 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · younger residents

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.