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 Urbandale, IA 50322

Urbandale: median income $92,085, home value $276,200, $202/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Liverpool, NY 13090 95%898$88,492$213,100$195 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Ft Mitchell, KY 41017 95%515$97,274$293,500$201 Very close on everything we compare
Omaha, NE 68144 95%127$83,576$269,600$171 Very close on everything we compare
Erie, PA 16506 93%699$81,060$237,300$201 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 93%877$99,077$284,500$199 Very close on everything we compare
Louisville, KY 40220 93%489$78,434$264,200$160 Very close on everything we compare
Waukesha, WI 53188 93%294$92,409$348,600$237 pricier homes ($72K more)
Onalaska, WI 54650 93%201$85,548$291,600$189 Very close on everything we compare
Duluth, MN 55811 92%366$79,804$321,000$228 pricier homes ($45K more)
Albany, NY 12205 91%1,020$91,020$276,600$245 older homes
Palmyra, PA 17078 91%897$93,135$305,700$190 pricier homes ($30K more) · less walkable
Allentown, PA 18104 91%948$94,601$336,400$195 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Maumee, OH 43537 91%519$82,752$253,300$172 less walkable
Grandville, MI 49418 91%416$84,846$321,700$212 pricier homes ($46K more)
Saint Paul, MN 55112 91%240$93,838$358,500$200 pricier homes ($82K more)
Maryland Heights, MO 63043 91%265$91,509$227,600$177 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Omaha, NE 68137 91%127$80,739$252,200$160 Very close on everything we compare
Camp Hill, PA 17011 90%880$92,556$277,800$178 older homes
Bethlehem, PA 18017 90%954$91,173$336,100$207 pricier homes ($60K more)
York, PA 17402 89%899$81,166$250,400$166 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Wilmington, DE 19808 89%953$94,234$337,800$213 pricier homes ($62K more) · 5 min longer commute
Christiansburg, VA 24073 89%774$76,800$253,200$190 Very close on everything we compare
Louisville, KY 40223 89%491$96,607$362,500$179 pricier homes ($86K more)
Fort Wayne, IN 46804 89%441$85,833$258,700$150 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Paul, MN 55118 89%228$87,340$350,600$205 pricier homes ($74K 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.