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 Sterling Heights, MI 48314

Sterling Heights: median income $85,889, home value $331,500, $182/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Joy, PA 17552 94%380$97,683$292,500$212 cheaper homes ($39K less)
North Royalton, OH 44133 93%111$83,717$292,500$184 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Carlisle, PA 17015 91%345$86,981$297,500$189 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Sarasota, FL 34243 91%1,051$81,219$429,400$238 pricier homes ($98K more) · larger
Oldsmar, FL 34677 91%1,007$93,474$387,300$249 pricier homes ($56K more)
Racine, WI 53406 91%245$82,792$289,700$188 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Corpus Christi, TX 78418 91%1,308$92,445$302,500$215 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Absecon, NJ 08205 90%496$93,370$292,400$208 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Elizabethtown, PA 17022 90%374$86,767$294,000$186 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents · older homes
Lititz, PA 17543 89%387$97,435$348,400$234 larger
Honey Brook, PA 19344 89%410$86,890$321,100$211 smaller
Havre De Grace, MD 21078 89%418$106,667$385,600$185 pricier homes ($54K more)
Swansboro, NC 28584 89%632$87,414$339,200$221 more single-family homes
Rockledge, FL 32955 89%996$86,457$359,400$218 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Johnson City, TN 37615 89%430$77,525$294,900$200 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Jackson, WI 53037 89%264$97,611$343,800$214 smaller
Lake Ozark, MO 65049 89%591$86,453$362,800$239 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Mesa, AZ 85209 89%1,673$84,432$402,900$253 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Mechanicville, NY 12118 88%473$92,710$345,800$267 Very close on everything we compare
Easton, MD 21601 88%450$83,680$376,400$232 pricier homes ($45K more) · more single-family homes
Wilson, NC 27896 88%545$75,696$242,700$170 cheaper homes ($89K less) · more single-family homes
Saint Augustine, FL 32084 88%882$73,837$344,200$228 larger
Milford, OH 45150 88%246$93,595$288,800$193 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · older homes
Schererville, IN 46375 88%240$93,160$315,400$171 7 min longer commute
Germantown, WI 53022 88%261$100,890$373,400$219 pricier homes ($42K 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.