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 Des Moines, IA 50321

Des Moines: median income $80,351, home value $320,500, $212/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Grand Rapids, MI 49544 94%418$74,390$264,000$218 cheaper homes ($57K less)
White River Junction, VT 05001 92%1,089$78,092$296,900$271 Very close on everything we compare
Altoona, WI 54720 92%251$85,977$236,700$177 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Newport News, VA 23603 90%959$88,246$293,300$189 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Knoxville, TN 37923 89%645$73,699$333,000$213 larger
Hershey, PA 17033 88%891$72,945$384,100$198 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Knoxville, TN 37909 88%647$66,984$312,500$223 larger · more renters
Metairie, LA 70006 88%820$76,505$344,800$167 larger · more single-family homes
Manville, RI 02838 87%1,141$97,273$372,300$219 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Buffalo, NY 14228 87%766$74,871$274,600$225 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
North Chili, NY 14514 87%816$86,493$242,500$218 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Haslett, MI 48840 87%481$73,408$280,900$184 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · older residents
Comstock Park, MI 49321 87%421$77,870$274,400$203 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Port Washington, WI 53074 87%321$79,423$296,600$233 larger
Spearfish, SD 57783 87%554$74,844$373,300$233 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Southern Pines, NC 28387 86%888$74,830$410,800$226 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger
Burnsville, MN 55306 86%221$100,515$374,700$187 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Rochester, NH 03839 85%1,159$88,346$335,600$288 smaller
Horsham, PA 19044 85%970$88,173$402,400$297 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger
Huntsville, AL 35802 85%612$76,324$334,100$170 larger
Groveport, OH 43125 85%576$84,043$246,500$187 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Milwaukee, WI 53228 85%304$75,033$272,000$216 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · older residents
Plover, WI 54467 85%289$87,580$268,600$168 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Valley Park, MO 63088 85%266$65,769$247,100$183 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Rensselaer, NY 12144 84%1,023$90,738$249,700$213 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger

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.