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 Sterling Heights, MI 48310

Sterling Heights: median income $78,058, home value $274,700, $160/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kansas City, MO 64119 97%641$83,929$229,700$159 cheaper homes ($45K less)
York, PA 17406 95%380$83,521$234,100$162 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Colonial Heights, VA 23834 95%473$84,338$253,400$184 smaller
Reading, PA 19606 94%403$85,557$245,600$171 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Salem, VA 24153 94%398$74,260$266,500$157 Very close on everything we compare
Painesville, OH 44077 94%113$85,056$221,200$168 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Troy, OH 45373 94%184$75,742$253,400$168 Very close on everything we compare
Greenfield, IN 46140 94%239$83,056$233,500$156 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Columbus, IN 47203 94%273$72,112$244,100$147 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Blue Springs, MO 64015 94%637$84,518$268,900$160 Very close on everything we compare
Metairie, LA 70003 94%954$76,261$261,000$166 Very close on everything we compare
Casper, WY 82604 94%1,181$79,118$288,900$170 smaller
Gettysburg, PA 17325 93%358$80,948$287,200$191 Very close on everything we compare
La Porte, IN 46350 93%198$74,307$212,600$148 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Brainerd, MN 56401 93%603$73,128$261,600$192 Very close on everything we compare
Arnold, MO 63010 93%479$79,784$224,300$184 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Duncanville, TX 75137 93%1,020$82,253$275,600$166 smaller
Hanover, PA 17331 92%370$79,488$240,800$177 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Manheim, PA 17545 92%382$84,704$288,500$201 smaller
Roanoke, VA 24019 92%397$77,870$260,800$161 smaller · older residents
Kannapolis, NC 28081 92%505$71,665$285,100$207 Very close on everything we compare
Anderson, SC 29621 92%556$74,256$278,400$159 Very close on everything we compare
Louisville, KY 40291 92%333$81,267$276,900$170 newer homes
Hamilton, OH 45013 92%231$73,633$232,200$172 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Dayton, OH 45424 92%196$80,605$183,800$153 cheaper homes ($91K less)

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.