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 Birmingham, MI 48009

Birmingham: median income $153,401, home value $697,900, $377/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Birmingham, AL 35213 89%653$159,824$789,800$321 pricier homes ($92K more) · younger residents
Moorestown, NJ 08057 86%464$158,770$680,200$308 5 min longer commute
Wayne, PA 19087 86%440$171,179$748,200$364 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
West Hartford, CT 06107 85%538$174,844$474,700$318 cheaper homes ($223K less)
West Hartford, CT 06117 85%538$171,707$472,300$271 cheaper homes ($226K less)
Caldwell, NJ 07006 85%475$149,102$694,400$434 8 min longer commute
Leawood, KS 66206 85%645$174,394$672,100$289 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84109 85%1,476$145,034$731,200$343 pricier homes ($33K more) · younger residents · more walkable
East Greenwich, RI 02818 84%605$139,217$613,500$342 cheaper homes ($84K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Highland Park, IL 60035 84%236$168,094$607,300$338 cheaper homes ($91K less) · 7 min longer commute
Milwaukee, WI 53217 83%241$133,021$449,100$277 cheaper homes ($249K less)
Minneapolis, MN 55410 83%530$146,425$620,600$323 cheaper homes ($77K less) · more walkable · older homes
Minneapolis, MN 55436 83%532$144,129$643,400$292 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · older residents
Minneapolis, MN 55439 83%532$168,693$649,800$268 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Saint Louis, MO 63122 83%467$136,385$474,300$272 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger
Nashville, TN 37205 82%485$139,152$953,300$403 pricier homes ($255K more) · older residents
Portland, OR 97221 82%1,954$145,671$821,400$342 pricier homes ($124K more) · smaller · more walkable
Andover, MA 01810 81%613$172,606$855,600$412 pricier homes ($158K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Boonton, NJ 07005 81%467$132,629$587,100$365 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Raleigh, NC 27608 81%526$162,188$977,400$454 pricier homes ($280K more) · smaller · more walkable
Tampa, FL 33629 81%1,011$164,355$851,400$493 pricier homes ($154K more) · more walkable · newer homes
Overland Park, KS 66207 81%647$125,153$440,500$250 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($257K less)
Haddonfield, NJ 08033 80%462$151,181$635,300$384 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 8 min longer commute · more walkable
Ambler, PA 19002 80%446$143,600$602,100$292 cheaper homes ($96K less) · 8 min longer commute · newer homes
Framingham, MA 01701 79%601$137,094$644,300$395 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 9 min longer commute

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.