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 Troy, MI 48098

Troy: median income $164,759, home value $509,400, $205/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hudson, OH 44236 96%129$168,595$457,400$242 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Avon, CT 06001 92%531$153,664$476,500$248 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Hockessin, DE 19707 92%435$172,696$556,600$211 pricier homes ($47K more)
Marietta, GA 30068 92%600$150,101$599,400$228 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger
Germantown, TN 38139 91%628$178,661$575,500$185 pricier homes ($66K more)
Carmel, IN 46033 90%236$153,143$487,100$185 larger
Pittsburgh, PA 15241 89%224$153,936$422,700$235 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Prospect, KY 40059 89%320$152,727$559,300$210 pricier homes ($50K more) · newer homes
Pittsford, NY 14534 88%289$143,694$367,800$244 cheaper homes ($142K less) · larger
Chadds Ford, PA 19317 88%437$174,408$624,900$245 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller
Excelsior, MN 55331 88%542$159,450$737,000$273 pricier homes ($228K more)
Naperville, IL 60565 88%260$164,447$519,900$267 larger · 5 min longer commute
Chesterfield, MO 63005 88%476$198,469$701,600$219 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($192K more)
Midlothian, VA 23113 87%457$142,344$614,100$235 pricier homes ($105K more)
Simsbury, CT 06070 86%533$162,424$445,300$264 cheaper homes ($64K less) · more renters
Powell, OH 43065 86%167$154,481$482,200$215 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · newer homes
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 86%120$145,882$482,600$258 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older homes
Solon, OH 44139 86%122$138,425$389,700$211 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($120K less)
Akron, OH 44333 86%128$131,821$382,200$191 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($127K less)
Barrington, IL 60010 86%255$177,566$638,100$255 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Albuquerque, NM 87122 86%1,350$169,041$650,200$264 pricier homes ($141K more) · newer homes
Glastonbury, CT 06033 85%546$149,962$427,000$273 cheaper homes ($82K less)
East Amherst, NY 14051 85%229$135,663$421,300$238 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($88K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45243 85%244$171,172$627,000$288 pricier homes ($118K more) · older homes
Eden Prairie, MN 55347 85%535$155,430$499,500$214 more apartments and townhomes

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.