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 Fort Wayne, IN 46803

Fort Wayne: median income $34,381, home value $85,200, $96/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kansas City, MO 64127 87%517$33,111$91,200$94 larger · older residents
Dayton, OH 45403 86%103$38,323$87,500$109 older residents · older homes
Wichita, KS 67214 86%691$35,192$76,200$84 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Oklahoma City, OK 73109 84%777$43,133$99,200$109 larger · older residents
Dayton, OH 45404 82%102$38,874$86,900$119 older residents
Oklahoma City, OK 73108 81%778$37,168$80,700$167 Very close on everything we compare
San Antonio, TX 78207 81%1,102$32,472$106,700$97 larger · older residents
Rochester, NY 14621 80%411$35,383$90,700$100 larger · older residents
Louisville, KY 40210 80%199$35,347$98,700$99 older residents · older homes
Detroit, MI 48215 80%143$33,812$111,000$98 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Little Rock, AR 72209 80%592$40,231$98,800$95 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Amarillo, TX 79104 80%992$39,920$94,400$109 smaller · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Birmingham, AL 35211 79%533$34,884$96,200$75 larger · older residents
El Paso, TX 79905 79%1,343$25,721$106,800$132 larger · older residents
Birmingham, AL 35207 78%527$31,486$80,300$69 older residents · less walkable
Chattanooga, TN 37407 77%419$35,845$98,900$168 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45204 77%139$31,236$95,400$121 more apartments and townhomes
Kansas City, MO 64126 77%515$39,934$57,200$101 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Oklahoma City, OK 73129 77%776$46,670$84,700$120 larger · more single-family homes
Memphis, TN 38108 76%485$36,257$71,200$72 larger · older residents · more single-family homes
Toledo, OH 43607 76%88$41,335$75,900$77 larger · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Kansas City, MO 64132 76%520$45,622$108,000$98 older residents · more single-family homes
Kansas City, KS 66101 76%521$42,551$106,300$123 older residents · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Oklahoma City, OK 73119 76%779$45,421$100,600$123 larger · more single-family homes
Amarillo, TX 79107 76%991$40,671$92,600$103 larger · older residents · more homeowners

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.