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 Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

Cedar Rapids: median income $73,439, home value $194,000, $133/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Topeka, KS 66614 96%298$71,377$194,100$130 Very close on everything we compare
Peoria, IL 61614 95%137$66,924$172,100$118 smaller
Springfield, IL 62704 94%186$69,976$172,600$112 Very close on everything we compare
Erie, PA 16509 92%594$68,846$220,500$169 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Louisville, KY 40220 92%413$78,434$264,200$160 pricier homes ($70K more)
Lansing, MI 48917 92%362$70,990$222,900$149 pricier homes ($29K more)
North Little Rock, AR 72116 92%499$79,010$232,600$132 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Amarillo, TX 79109 92%726$70,435$222,900$142 pricier homes ($29K more)
Champaign, IL 61821 91%220$70,715$181,800$162 smaller
Wichita, KS 67212 91%427$68,145$200,300$126 Very close on everything we compare
Omaha, NE 68137 91%237$80,739$252,200$160 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Lincoln, NE 68506 91%272$72,637$258,600$157 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller
Sioux Falls, SD 57103 90%276$72,831$269,500$173 pricier homes ($76K more)
Jackson, MS 39211 89%672$69,426$221,600$110 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Southfield, MI 48075 89%432$65,384$227,000$135 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Moorhead, MN 56560 89%419$75,406$253,200$155 pricier homes ($59K more)
Omaha, NE 68144 88%237$83,576$269,600$171 pricier homes ($76K more) · smaller
Liverpool, NY 13090 87%788$88,492$213,100$195 Very close on everything we compare
Brockport, NY 14420 87%702$75,577$191,900$165 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Toledo, OH 43623 87%413$71,171$169,300$146 smaller
Dayton, OH 45440 87%426$82,383$267,900$158 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller
Muncie, IN 47304 87%348$63,215$172,200$133 less walkable
Lafayette, IN 47905 87%273$65,861$235,600$176 pricier homes ($42K more)
York, PA 17402 86%794$81,166$250,400$166 pricier homes ($56K more)
Dayton, OH 45429 86%424$80,210$238,700$166 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller

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.