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 55128

Saint Paul: median income $93,210, home value $312,800, $194/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Enola, PA 17025 95%874$91,285$245,400$175 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Absecon, NJ 08205 94%1,017$93,370$292,400$208 Very close on everything we compare
Palmyra, PA 17078 94%890$93,135$305,700$190 Very close on everything we compare
Virginia Beach, VA 23453 94%1,045$93,838$336,900$234 Very close on everything we compare
Walled Lake, MI 48390 94%501$91,381$309,400$205 Very close on everything we compare
Woodstock, IL 60098 94%291$91,062$276,900$185 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Mantua, NJ 08051 93%973$92,071$267,200$237 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
York, PA 17402 92%898$81,166$250,400$166 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Grand Rapids, MI 49534 92%383$81,657$306,700$207 Very close on everything we compare
Racine, WI 53406 92%298$82,792$289,700$188 older residents
Corpus Christi, TX 78418 92%1,223$92,445$302,500$215 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Holly, NJ 08060 91%984$109,292$338,100$234 pricier homes ($25K more)
Gettysburg, PA 17325 91%876$80,948$287,200$191 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Mount Joy, PA 17552 91%900$97,683$292,500$212 Very close on everything we compare
Glen Burnie, MD 21060 91%929$104,715$377,100$229 pricier homes ($64K more) · 6 min longer commute
Altoona, IA 50009 91%233$88,447$278,300$237 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Elizabethtown, PA 17022 90%894$86,767$294,000$186 less walkable
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 90%875$99,077$284,500$199 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Wilmington, DE 19808 90%952$94,234$337,800$213 pricier homes ($25K more) · older homes
Grandville, MI 49418 90%386$84,846$321,700$212 Very close on everything we compare
Kenosha, WI 53142 90%304$88,960$268,100$202 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more single-family homes
Waukesha, WI 53188 90%270$92,409$348,600$237 pricier homes ($36K more)
Bismarck, ND 58504 90%391$85,637$295,700$180 6 min shorter commute
Carol Stream, IL 60188 90%321$103,628$337,400$236 Very close on everything we compare
Bolingbrook, IL 60440 90%334$93,494$277,000$210 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger

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.