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 Elm Grove, WI 53122

Elm Grove: median income $157,962, home value $514,800, $268/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Leawood, KS 66206 92%442$174,394$672,100$289 pricier homes ($157K more) · larger
West Hartford, CT 06117 91%786$171,707$472,300$271 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Minneapolis, MN 55439 87%292$168,693$649,800$268 pricier homes ($135K more) · less walkable
Longmeadow, MA 01106 86%792$147,935$452,100$258 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
West Hartford, CT 06107 86%786$174,844$474,700$318 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Minnetonka, MN 55345 86%298$145,332$504,000$227 larger
Paoli, PA 19301 85%683$167,348$550,100$344 pricier homes ($35K more) · 6 min longer commute
Overland Park, KS 66207 85%443$125,153$440,500$250 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Cincinnati, OH 45243 84%330$171,172$627,000$288 pricier homes ($112K more) · larger · less walkable
Linwood, NJ 08221 82%746$156,354$394,700$280 cheaper homes ($120K less)
White Rock, NM 87547 82%1,085$156,444$505,900$332 more single-family homes
Unionville, CT 06085 81%780$141,023$413,600$263 cheaper homes ($101K less) · newer homes
Moorestown, NJ 08057 80%711$158,770$680,200$308 pricier homes ($165K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Wilmington, DE 19803 80%687$135,218$457,200$245 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Saint Louis, MO 63122 80%332$136,385$474,300$272 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Fort Washington, PA 19034 79%695$165,354$627,500$292 pricier homes ($113K more) · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Birmingham, AL 35223 79%664$168,278$775,100$284 pricier homes ($260K more) · larger · less walkable
Bay Village, OH 44140 79%333$132,254$353,000$270 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($162K less) · larger
Birmingham, MI 48009 79%249$153,401$697,900$377 pricier homes ($183K more) · larger
Evanston, IL 60203 79%72$170,224$468,400$305 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 9 min longer commute · more walkable
Prairie Village, KS 66208 79%441$124,000$445,600$317 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Littleton, CO 80121 79%905$142,056$707,900$311 pricier homes ($193K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 78%358$145,882$482,600$258 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · older residents
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 78%246$167,143$708,300$271 pricier homes ($194K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 78%246$178,103$661,900$229 pricier homes ($147K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute

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.