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 Detroit, MI 48202

Detroit: median income $43,627, home value $186,500, $123/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Louis, MO 63112 95%457$45,542$212,700$135 pricier homes ($26K more)
Milwaukee, WI 53212 94%250$47,298$216,300$145 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Albany, NY 12206 91%474$41,548$162,300$112 Very close on everything we compare
Buffalo, NY 14213 90%216$53,870$211,200$116 larger
Cleveland, OH 44106 90%97$43,170$255,700$144 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger
Milwaukee, WI 53208 89%252$52,690$204,500$125 larger
Albany, NY 12202 88%475$52,868$166,000$118 smaller
Syracuse, NY 13203 83%355$46,997$156,900$118 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents · newer homes
Rochester, NY 14608 82%282$40,646$187,000$97 Very close on everything we compare
Louisville, KY 40208 81%320$39,560$188,900$136 younger residents · more single-family homes
Duluth, MN 55805 81%538$43,100$189,400$188 younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Syracuse, NY 13204 80%353$45,351$113,000$106 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Harrisburg, PA 17102 80%352$54,573$193,700$118 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Roanoke, VA 24016 80%390$46,512$119,700$129 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Saint Louis, MO 63118 80%457$57,762$221,200$131 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · more homeowners
Milwaukee, WI 53210 79%253$48,217$174,400$100 larger · more single-family homes
Syracuse, NY 13210 78%356$41,738$173,600$148 younger residents · newer homes
Buffalo, NY 14214 78%219$58,228$240,800$156 pricier homes ($54K more)
Kansas City, MO 64109 78%643$41,943$275,000$124 pricier homes ($89K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Albany, NY 12210 77%475$55,843$228,100$142 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · older residents
Buffalo, NY 14201 77%216$40,512$337,600$194 pricier homes ($151K more)
Buffalo, NY 14207 77%216$39,753$133,600$103 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Scranton, PA 18510 77%388$53,235$181,600$117 less walkable
Cleveland, OH 44102 77%93$42,714$113,400$126 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger
Willimantic, CT 06226 76%559$47,162$190,000$186 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.