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 48217

Detroit: median income $44,447, home value $65,500, $56/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glassport, PA 15045 85%216$47,803$82,700$83 smaller · older residents
Birmingham, AL 35228 80%643$50,815$93,700$61 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · older residents
East Saint Louis, IL 62203 80%443$42,111$68,700$46 older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Memphis, TN 38108 75%612$36,257$71,200$72 larger · 5 min shorter commute · more renters
Gary, IN 46409 75%220$44,667$78,800$66 more renters · less walkable
East Saint Louis, IL 62206 75%449$33,838$53,200$87 larger · newer homes
Crosbyton, TX 79322 75%1,147$48,750$65,500$82 smaller · less walkable · newer homes
Montgomery, AL 36110 74%702$47,315$86,900$49 larger · 9 min shorter commute · more renters
Saint Louis, MO 63137 74%443$43,422$82,900$93 larger · 5 min shorter commute · more renters
Corpus Christi, TX 78416 74%1,284$43,198$94,600$93 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · older residents
Birmingham, AL 35224 73%639$42,639$80,000$76 older residents · less walkable
Robbins, IL 60472 73%238$40,668$121,300$41 pricier homes ($56K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Saint Louis, MO 63133 73%450$39,293$65,100$82 older residents · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Saint Louis, MO 63147 73%446$41,182$79,000$65 older residents
Kansas City, MO 64126 73%633$39,934$57,200$101 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Bessemer, AL 35020 72%646$35,362$91,200$57 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · older residents
Terre Haute, IN 47804 72%293$40,674$94,200$88 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Blackwell, OK 74631 72%841$53,964$86,500$62 older residents · 8 min shorter commute · less walkable
Duquesne, PA 15110 71%216$44,180$63,800$40 older residents · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Birmingham, AL 35208 71%639$38,561$97,100$55 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · older residents
Dayton, OH 45416 71%180$46,174$81,100$92 older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Indianapolis, IN 46218 70%229$38,063$103,100$94 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Saint Louis, MO 63120 70%448$35,176$53,500$44 7 min shorter commute · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Corpus Christi, TX 78407 70%1,282$47,688$98,800$72 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Martins Ferry, OH 43935 69%196$45,923$103,600$82 pricier homes ($38K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter 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.