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 Rochester, MI 48309

Rochester: median income $121,007, home value $424,600, $196/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tallahassee, FL 32309 96%839$113,412$376,000$206 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Ballwin, MO 63021 96%477$120,177$349,500$192 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
Eden Prairie, MN 55346 95%536$135,000$480,100$211 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller
East Amherst, NY 14051 94%229$135,663$421,300$238 smaller
Longwood, FL 32779 93%969$121,826$480,200$249 pricier homes ($56K more)
Birmingham, AL 35226 93%670$124,516$411,000$193 Very close on everything we compare
Solon, OH 44139 93%126$138,425$389,700$211 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Manlius, NY 13104 92%366$127,933$337,100$212 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Cincinnati, OH 45244 92%252$109,287$382,100$201 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Ballwin, MO 63011 92%477$124,454$400,900$188 Very close on everything we compare
South Windsor, CT 06074 91%546$144,961$375,100$256 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Hummelstown, PA 17036 91%373$115,533$349,700$176 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Germantown, TN 38138 91%633$136,297$430,200$171 more walkable
Aurora, OH 44202 91%132$118,750$375,300$207 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 5 min longer commute
Saint Paul, MN 55127 91%520$117,917$433,200$223 smaller
Kansas City, MO 64152 91%647$114,688$375,400$184 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Shawnee, KS 66216 91%652$111,744$353,300$182 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80919 91%1,159$119,518$605,900$214 pricier homes ($181K more)
Glastonbury, CT 06033 90%547$149,962$427,000$273 higher income ($29K more)
Fairport, NY 14450 90%292$109,466$308,200$221 cheaper homes ($116K less)
Tallahassee, FL 32312 90%841$123,032$432,100$228 Very close on everything we compare
Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 90%691$119,250$481,600$204 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller · newer homes
Akron, OH 44321 90%134$119,178$363,700$185 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · newer homes
Brookfield, WI 53045 90%253$123,750$457,700$241 pricier homes ($33K more)
Stillwater, MN 55082 90%509$115,040$474,400$232 pricier homes ($50K more)

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.