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 Detroit, MI 48205

Detroit: median income $38,966, home value $65,300, $60/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Memphis, TN 38108 89%626$36,257$71,200$72 smaller
Dayton, OH 45417 88%196$36,945$75,100$84 Very close on everything we compare
Toledo, OH 43609 86%63$42,313$65,500$73 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Toledo, OH 43605 85%60$39,118$49,700$63 older homes
Saint Louis, MO 63136 85%460$41,154$84,400$80 more apartments and townhomes
Saint Louis, MO 63137 85%457$43,422$82,900$93 smaller
Kansas City, MO 64130 84%649$42,221$86,300$93 smaller
Peoria, IL 61603 82%361$41,618$77,500$58 smaller · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Bessemer, AL 35020 81%660$35,362$91,200$57 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Memphis, TN 38109 80%637$37,496$80,400$93 older residents · newer homes
Memphis, TN 38127 80%624$36,901$90,300$75 pricier homes ($25K more) · newer homes
Indianapolis, IN 46218 80%243$38,063$103,100$94 pricier homes ($38K more) · 6 min longer commute
Amarillo, TX 79107 80%1,125$40,671$92,600$103 pricier homes ($27K more)
Fort Wayne, IN 46806 79%146$47,895$84,100$106 Very close on everything we compare
East Saint Louis, IL 62206 79%462$33,838$53,200$87 smaller · newer homes
Kansas City, MO 64128 79%647$36,088$84,600$71 smaller · older residents
Montgomery, AL 36110 78%715$47,315$86,900$49 smaller · newer homes
Louisville, KY 40212 78%324$35,753$87,600$80 smaller · older residents · older homes
Tulsa, OK 74110 78%816$42,054$71,400$122 smaller
Anderson, IN 46016 77%214$36,029$78,500$46 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Saint Louis, MO 63133 77%463$39,293$65,100$82 smaller · older residents
Mckeesport, PA 15132 76%216$35,397$73,900$78 smaller · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Akron, OH 44306 76%123$41,688$81,400$88 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Saint Louis, MO 63121 76%462$42,701$95,600$100 pricier homes ($30K more)
Memphis, TN 38106 75%633$30,232$71,800$47 smaller · older residents · more renters

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.