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 Lansing, MI 48933

Lansing: median income $33,589, home value $112,900, $83/sq ft, 13-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cleveland, OH 44114 70%170$44,002$121,900$59 larger · more walkable
Peoria, IL 61602 70%295$33,750$231,000$103 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 65%457$33,329$203,600— pricier homes ($91K more) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Memphis, TN 38105 65%601$34,015$90,200$92 larger · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Syracuse, NY 13202 64%426$27,000$88,500$202 larger
Camden, NJ 08102 62%526$33,852$84,500$80 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Albany, NY 12206 60%547$41,548$162,300$112 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
South Bend, IN 46601 57%114$30,789$145,000$96 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · older residents
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 57%366$35,060$157,100$198 pricier homes ($44K more) · more walkable · newer homes
Montgomery, AL 36104 56%722$33,823$172,700$104 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · more homeowners
Cincinnati, OH 45214 56%250$27,852$100,500$93 larger · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Roanoke, VA 24016 55%449$46,512$119,700$129 larger · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Milwaukee, WI 53233 55%172$23,750$137,500$146 larger · younger residents
Springfield, MO 65806 54%600$28,165$88,600$138 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Topeka, KS 66603 54%633$44,688$107,900$45 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Macon, GA 31201 53%688$29,420$171,400$88 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Lubbock, TX 79401 53%1,129$26,980$105,600$114 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Springfield, MA 01103 52%612$21,355$185,700$172 pricier homes ($73K more) · older residents · older homes
Rochester, NY 14608 51%352$40,646$187,000$97 pricier homes ($74K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Huntsville, AL 35816 51%563$40,242$128,900$128 larger · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Saint Louis, MO 63103 51%410$40,943$202,900$124 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Cincinnati, OH 45232 50%245$28,367$130,500$87 larger · 14 min longer commute · more homeowners
Cleveland, OH 44115 49%171$22,056$178,000$205 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Albany, NY 12202 48%548$52,868$166,000$118 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Memphis, TN 38126 48%602$30,071$59,300$122 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · 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.