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 Ecorse, MI 48229

Ecorse: median income $40,264, home value $65,400, $90/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Marlin, TX 76661 89%1,070$41,056$66,700$78 newer homes
Warren, OH 44485 87%138$35,195$74,900$110 larger
Gary, IN 46404 87%222$42,256$95,200$92 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Martins Ferry, OH 43935 86%194$45,923$103,600$82 pricier homes ($38K more) · older residents
Youngstown, OH 44509 86%149$36,570$57,900$84 older residents
Canton, OH 44705 86%136$43,439$81,400$131 larger
Canton, OH 44707 86%139$44,943$109,100$114 pricier homes ($44K more)
Akron, OH 44306 85%119$41,688$81,400$88 larger · more renters
Gary, IN 46406 85%224$35,839$91,700$97 pricier homes ($26K more) · more renters
Muncie, IN 47302 85%185$47,837$76,800$93 larger
Rockford, IL 61102 85%306$46,599$98,900$105 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
Birmingham, AL 35224 84%638$42,639$80,000$76 smaller · more single-family homes
Akron, OH 44314 84%117$47,468$88,400$99 larger
Gary, IN 46408 84%222$47,453$102,600$86 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Marion, IN 46953 84%176$46,288$89,200$72 larger
Rockford, IL 61101 84%305$46,163$90,600$92 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Beaumont, TX 77701 84%1,038$49,181$84,000$91 newer homes
Youngstown, OH 44505 83%152$37,538$93,000$87 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Hamlet, NC 28345 82%542$40,957$97,600$114 pricier homes ($32K more) · newer homes
Birmingham, AL 35207 82%633$31,486$80,300$69 Very close on everything we compare
Memphis, TN 38108 82%611$36,257$71,200$72 larger · more renters
Lorain, OH 44055 82%77$40,636$101,400$123 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Springfield, OH 45505 82%165$43,819$95,500$141 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Kansas City, MO 64126 82%633$39,934$57,200$101 more walkable
Tulsa, OK 74126 82%802$42,172$69,200$125 more single-family 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.