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 Byron Center, MI 49315

Byron Center: median income $113,346, home value $382,100, $225/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bryan, TX 77808 93%1,012$113,343$375,000$209 smaller
Amarillo, TX 79124 93%1,012$112,541$362,300$187 smaller
Norwalk, IA 50211 91%417$103,712$316,100$231 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller
Green Bay, WI 54313 91%170$107,599$323,300$203 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Greenville, WI 54942 91%175$119,508$355,900$217 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Saint Charles, MO 63304 91%380$114,442$351,000$198 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Magnolia, DE 19962 90%591$104,260$374,200$187 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Newberry, FL 32669 90%924$99,548$343,300$198 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Hugo, MN 55038 90%395$130,931$422,800$201 pricier homes ($41K more) · 6 min longer commute
Waconia, MN 55387 90%426$114,511$440,300$215 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Helena, MT 59602 90%1,309$92,985$408,600$270 pricier homes ($27K more)
Crestwood, KY 40014 89%309$121,189$393,700$187 6 min longer commute
Maineville, OH 45039 89%253$108,794$327,200$196 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Fort Wayne, IN 46845 89%115$112,676$339,200$168 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Sussex, WI 53089 89%129$120,875$418,900$248 pricier homes ($37K more) · more renters
Minneapolis, MN 55449 89%406$131,832$438,300$195 pricier homes ($56K more)
Forest, VA 24551 88%508$91,067$362,500$187 Very close on everything we compare
Muskego, WI 53150 88%122$109,276$416,400$250 pricier homes ($34K more) · older residents · older homes
Oregon, WI 53575 88%186$107,885$432,800$230 pricier homes ($51K more) · more renters
Cottage Grove, MN 55016 88%386$120,715$377,700$202 larger
Prior Lake, MN 55372 88%406$145,499$467,400$206 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($85K more)
Brandon, SD 57005 88%550$112,500$341,200$189 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · more renters
Mahomet, IL 61853 88%227$115,512$282,200$191 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller
Tucson, AZ 85742 88%1,554$98,844$368,300$228 more renters
Gansevoort, NY 12831 87%607$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · more renters

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.