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 Saint Paul, MN 55104

Saint Paul: median income $75,712, home value $317,700, $207/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Columbus, OH 43206 96%623$75,806$317,300$193 smaller
Indianapolis, IN 46205 90%503$72,417$304,500$135 smaller
Cincinnati, OH 45212 89%599$72,422$257,700$183 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53207 89%295$79,117$243,600$241 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Cincinnati, OH 45227 88%602$71,646$298,800$224 smaller · newer homes
New Orleans, LA 70118 87%1,050$63,750$465,600$253 pricier homes ($148K more)
Lakewood, OH 44107 86%619$68,970$262,200$214 cheaper homes ($56K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Buffalo, NY 14216 85%724$69,629$294,700$200 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Pittsburgh, PA 15206 85%739$72,920$317,600$235 smaller · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Pittsburgh, PA 15208 85%740$63,086$321,100$226 smaller
Louisville, KY 40204 85%602$71,116$329,000$220 smaller · older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45213 85%599$76,356$286,100$212 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Saint Louis, MO 63109 85%464$69,938$264,700$201 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · older residents
Covington, KY 41011 84%601$69,970$304,200$204 smaller · newer homes
Grand Rapids, MI 49504 84%394$70,119$243,500$200 cheaper homes ($74K less) · newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63110 83%462$81,655$339,900$208 smaller
Saint Louis, MO 63130 83%458$85,823$316,100$202 smaller
San Antonio, TX 78212 83%1,111$62,801$330,600$197 smaller · older residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15202 82%731$68,287$215,700$153 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · older residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15211 82%736$79,758$219,900$206 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller
Louisville, KY 40206 82%602$75,798$273,900$200 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · older residents
Kansas City, MO 64110 82%415$63,044$256,700$194 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Omaha, NE 68132 82%292$68,221$333,900$193 smaller · newer homes
Oaklyn, NJ 08107 81%983$80,833$300,500$259 smaller
Albany, NY 12208 81%976$70,413$264,700$207 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · newer homes

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.