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 Milwaukee, WI 53204

Milwaukee: median income $45,934, home value $124,300, $105/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Buffalo, NY 14207 92%456$39,753$133,600$103 smaller
Syracuse, NY 13204 91%593$45,351$113,000$106 smaller
Cleveland, OH 44102 86%334$42,714$113,400$126 Very close on everything we compare
York, PA 17401 85%616$42,826$104,400$93 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Rochester, NY 14608 83%520$40,646$187,000$97 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Rochester, NY 14613 83%519$37,778$120,600$84 smaller
Allentown, PA 18102 83%662$43,085$163,400$147 pricier homes ($39K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Roanoke, VA 24016 83%578$46,512$119,700$129 smaller
Harrisburg, PA 17103 81%602$39,825$137,900$90 smaller · more homeowners
Albany, NY 12206 80%717$41,548$162,300$112 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Saint Louis, MO 63111 78%331$47,039$128,400$101 smaller · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Erie, PA 16502 77%403$38,566$93,000$84 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Cincinnati, OH 45205 77%321$43,682$127,900$106 smaller · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Albany, NY 12202 76%718$52,868$166,000$118 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Buffalo, NY 14211 76%460$36,300$106,400$99 smaller · more homeowners
Camden, NJ 08105 75%697$45,974$121,100$182 smaller · more homeowners · newer homes
Hartford, CT 06106 74%781$46,304$214,200$187 pricier homes ($90K more)
Rochester, NY 14621 74%521$35,383$90,700$100 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Harrisburg, PA 17104 74%602$46,510$104,800$104 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Hartford, CT 06112 73%781$44,460$208,000$144 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Syracuse, NY 13203 73%595$46,997$156,900$118 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · older residents
Buffalo, NY 14210 73%461$54,197$129,800$116 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Cleveland, OH 44109 72%337$42,872$122,200$124 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Hartford, CT 06114 71%782$52,110$232,800$158 pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller · older residents
Camden, NJ 08104 71%697$38,170$93,100$158 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.