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 46807

Fort Wayne: median income $58,685, home value $153,200, $128/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sioux City, IA 51103 95%590$58,197$142,900$138 Very close on everything we compare
Oklahoma City, OK 73107 95%775$56,873$159,300$147 larger
Dayton, OH 45420 94%106$60,588$131,300$153 Very close on everything we compare
Lansing, MI 48915 94%120$54,465$122,900$121 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Tulsa, OK 74112 94%672$58,951$160,800$153 Very close on everything we compare
Niagara Falls, NY 14305 93%344$51,004$126,000$117 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Rochester, NY 14619 93%410$68,333$134,700$129 Very close on everything we compare
Erie, PA 16508 92%271$56,391$132,500$122 Very close on everything we compare
Omaha, NE 68104 92%564$60,549$168,100$158 larger
Syracuse, NY 13207 91%480$60,720$123,800$118 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Cleveland, OH 44111 91%177$57,252$141,800$145 larger
Louisville, KY 40213 90%200$55,897$173,600$169 Very close on everything we compare
Toledo, OH 43613 90%92$64,384$136,200$132 larger
Cleveland, OH 44135 90%176$53,848$132,800$154 larger
Rochester, NY 14609 89%415$64,603$161,600$167 larger
Pittsburgh, PA 15214 89%271$61,645$185,900$169 pricier homes ($33K more) · older residents
Lansing, MI 48906 89%122$64,315$139,700$132 larger
Lansing, MI 48910 89%118$54,712$129,000$130 larger
Des Moines, IA 50316 89%440$56,090$154,300$159 Very close on everything we compare
Belleville, IL 62220 89%311$65,952$157,400$112 older residents
Saint Louis, MO 63114 89%321$55,870$116,800$148 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Independence, MO 64052 89%510$59,007$150,600$139 Very close on everything we compare
Kansas City, MO 64123 89%513$54,443$129,300$111 Very close on everything we compare
Ambridge, PA 15003 88%260$59,550$134,500$116 older residents
Erie, PA 16504 88%273$56,622$116,400$125 cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer homes

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.