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.

Reset

Towns most like Andover, MN 55304

Andover: median income $131,700, home value $421,300, $202/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chesapeake, VA 23322 95%1,066$134,880$463,300$239 pricier homes ($42K more)
Trussville, AL 35173 94%877$117,105$345,300$184 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Macomb, MI 48042 94%544$126,667$410,000$192 Very close on everything we compare
Virginia Beach, VA 23456 92%1,070$130,533$474,700$251 pricier homes ($53K more)
Chesterfield, VA 23832 92%976$111,684$363,000$210 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Crestwood, KY 40014 92%624$121,189$393,700$187 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Sharpsburg, GA 30277 91%937$120,379$394,200$196 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
New Lenox, IL 60451 91%371$137,404$393,100$212 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 6 min longer commute
Arlington, TN 38002 90%713$116,895$399,300$164 Very close on everything we compare
Macomb, MI 48044 90%546$117,856$370,300$168 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Mechanicsville, VA 23116 89%975$141,711$433,900$228 Very close on everything we compare
Evans, GA 30809 89%1,001$125,272$367,900$167 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Apopka, FL 32712 89%1,310$108,734$422,700$208 Very close on everything we compare
Clarkston, MI 48348 89%519$129,410$444,500$212 smaller
Rockford, MI 49341 89%411$113,989$382,600$224 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Saint Charles, MO 63304 89%469$114,442$351,000$198 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Vail, AZ 85641 89%1,307$131,164$415,100$204 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Gilbertsville, PA 19525 88%957$140,403$405,400$216 smaller
Canton, GA 30115 88%895$113,089$485,500$203 pricier homes ($64K more)
Jacksonville, FL 32226 88%1,201$110,179$362,100$187 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Northport, AL 35475 88%873$108,559$334,000$197 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Pickerington, OH 43147 88%649$126,534$348,300$185 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Saint John, IN 46373 88%391$127,146$408,900$187 smaller
Brighton, MI 48114 88%508$124,063$405,400$213 smaller
Oxford, MI 48371 88%523$111,239$370,200$196 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller

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.