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 Dexter, MI 48130

Dexter: median income $129,254, home value $480,500, $249/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tallahassee, FL 32312 95%818$123,032$432,100$228 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Tallahassee, FL 32317 95%822$128,690$369,800$221 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Knoxville, TN 37934 94%448$132,264$529,100$241 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger
Landenberg, PA 19350 93%459$144,375$533,000$212 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller
Knoxville, TN 37922 93%449$132,807$523,800$245 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
East Amherst, NY 14051 92%268$135,663$421,300$238 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Signal Mountain, TN 37377 92%504$119,636$529,500$254 pricier homes ($49K more)
Venetia, PA 15367 91%246$135,542$544,100$216 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Port Matilda, PA 16870 91%319$121,528$411,100$235 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Prospect, KY 40059 91%291$152,727$559,300$210 pricier homes ($79K more)
Granville, OH 43023 91%173$142,852$473,100$220 Very close on everything we compare
Chagrin Falls, OH 44023 91%149$147,383$439,300$234 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Stilwell, KS 66085 91%616$152,500$538,300$241 pricier homes ($58K more)
Earlysville, VA 22936 90%407$142,338$589,400$251 pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller
Midlothian, VA 23113 90%471$142,344$614,100$235 pricier homes ($134K more) · larger
Mechanicsville, VA 23116 90%475$141,711$433,900$228 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Summerfield, NC 27358 90%475$138,717$444,400$205 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Watkinsville, GA 30677 90%588$110,250$435,600$220 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Solon, OH 44139 90%143$138,425$389,700$211 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older homes
Eden Prairie, MN 55346 90%510$135,000$480,100$211 Very close on everything we compare
Westerville, OH 43082 89%161$147,972$458,200$214 larger
Avon, OH 44011 89%115$135,915$395,900$219 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Carmel, IN 46033 89%200$153,143$487,100$185 larger
Lake Elmo, MN 55042 89%485$154,341$602,100$236 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($122K more)
Saint Paul, MN 55115 89%488$124,234$488,400$218 smaller

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.