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 Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076

Inver Grove Heights: median income $93,847, home value $323,000, $191/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Absecon, NJ 08205 91%1,018$93,370$292,400$208 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Oldsmar, FL 34677 90%1,292$93,474$387,300$249 pricier homes ($64K more)
Walled Lake, MI 48390 90%502$91,381$309,400$205 Very close on everything we compare
Enola, PA 17025 88%875$91,285$245,400$175 cheaper homes ($78K less) · more renters
Seminole, FL 33777 88%1,302$86,375$353,100$261 pricier homes ($30K more) · older homes
Palmyra, PA 17078 87%892$93,135$305,700$190 more renters
Harrisburg, PA 17112 87%881$103,876$313,000$179 larger · more single-family homes
Sterling Heights, MI 48314 87%522$85,889$331,500$182 less walkable
Racine, WI 53406 87%297$82,792$289,700$188 cheaper homes ($33K less) · more renters
Bloomingdale, IL 60108 87%319$103,392$382,000$232 pricier homes ($59K more) · 5 min longer commute
Mantua, NJ 08051 86%974$92,071$267,200$237 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · younger residents
Thorofare, NJ 08086 86%972$97,413$291,300$209 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Mount Joy, PA 17552 86%901$97,683$292,500$212 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more renters · less walkable
Utica, MI 48315 86%522$100,684$378,700$187 pricier homes ($56K more) · less walkable
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 85%876$99,077$284,500$199 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · more renters
Wilmington, DE 19808 85%953$94,234$337,800$213 larger · older homes
Havre De Grace, MD 21078 85%938$106,667$385,600$185 pricier homes ($63K more) · 7 min longer commute
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327 85%226$98,333$314,400$215 smaller · more single-family homes
Germantown, WI 53022 85%269$100,890$373,400$219 pricier homes ($50K more) · less walkable
Woodstock, IL 60098 85%288$91,062$276,900$185 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Tucson, AZ 85715 85%1,290$85,069$370,000$219 pricier homes ($47K more) · more renters
Rocky Hill, CT 06067 84%1,046$100,027$337,300$242 more renters
Cromwell, CT 06416 84%1,047$110,596$325,200$252 older homes
Allentown, PA 18106 84%931$92,813$412,200$233 pricier homes ($89K more) · smaller
Onalaska, WI 54650 84%110$85,548$291,600$189 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more renters

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.