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 53233

Milwaukee: median income $23,750, home value $137,500, $146/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Minneapolis, MN 55454 83%295$23,100$186,600$127 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Cleveland, OH 44115 78%338$22,056$178,000$205 pricier homes ($41K more)
Syracuse, NY 13202 71%595$27,000$88,500$202 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · older residents
Springfield, MA 01105 66%783$24,036$217,800$136 pricier homes ($80K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Hartford, CT 06120 65%782$34,830$184,400$156 pricier homes ($47K more) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Schenectady, NY 12307 65%708$24,758$104,600$122 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · older residents
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 63%629$33,329$203,600— pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · less walkable
Lincoln, NE 68508 63%476$31,191$143,600$329 Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, MO 65806 61%493$28,165$88,600$138 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Lubbock, TX 79401 60%996$26,980$105,600$114 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Louisville, KY 40203 57%350$30,794$197,300$145 pricier homes ($60K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Saint Louis, MO 63106 56%326$20,679$214,400$88 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · older residents
Lansing, MI 48933 55%172$33,589$112,900$83 smaller · older residents
Tallahassee, FL 32304 54%893$32,348$150,900$148 larger · less walkable · newer homes
Chattanooga, TN 37410 54%573$28,708$153,400$174 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45225 54%322$20,348$103,100$66 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Springfield, MA 01103 50%782$21,355$185,700$172 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · older residents
Memphis, TN 38126 50%558$30,071$59,300$122 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller · older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45214 50%323$27,852$100,500$93 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45219 49%324$35,657$207,900$164 pricier homes ($70K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45232 49%320$28,367$130,500$87 smaller · older residents · 10 min longer commute
Fresno, CA 93701 49%1,732$32,768$246,400$172 pricier homes ($109K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Springfield, MA 01107 48%781$35,632$243,600$187 pricier homes ($106K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Rochester, NY 14605 48%521$21,201$82,700$76 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 48%447$34,897$214,800$211 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents · 7 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.