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 Minneapolis, MN 55406

Minneapolis: median income $93,910, home value $354,100, $263/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Milwaukee, WI 53213 92%290$101,688$340,100$258 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Louis, MO 63130 90%458$85,823$316,100$202 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Collingswood, NJ 08108 88%986$108,151$395,300$332 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Columbus, OH 43214 88%619$94,183$400,400$290 pricier homes ($46K more) · newer homes
Columbus, OH 43209 87%627$89,713$392,500$256 pricier homes ($38K more) · newer homes
Louisville, KY 40205 86%605$99,966$375,300$208 Very close on everything we compare
Des Moines, IA 50312 86%233$92,242$291,900$221 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Milwaukee, WI 53207 85%298$79,117$243,600$241 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Hamden, CT 06517 84%1,050$104,550$339,400$255 smaller · older residents · newer homes
Portland, OR 97213 84%1,422$97,068$632,100$297 pricier homes ($278K more)
Milwaukee, WI 53226 83%289$93,132$335,600$245 smaller · newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63109 83%464$69,938$264,700$201 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Saint Louis, MO 63119 83%463$106,183$351,100$241 newer homes
Cincinnati, OH 45213 82%601$76,356$286,100$212 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Portland, OR 97217 82%1,426$100,361$578,700$311 pricier homes ($225K more) · newer homes
Worcester, MA 01602 81%1,082$91,764$417,300$291 pricier homes ($63K more) · newer homes
Audubon, NJ 08106 81%987$111,002$304,800$280 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Buffalo, NY 14226 81%729$84,325$263,800$218 cheaper homes ($90K less) · newer homes
Pittsburgh, PA 15215 81%741$99,071$311,300$256 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · less walkable
Dayton, OH 45419 81%586$92,264$248,400$189 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller
Worcester, MA 01606 80%1,084$92,105$370,800$317 smaller · newer homes
Pittsburgh, PA 15216 80%738$80,313$206,500$196 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller
Fort Thomas, KY 41075 80%605$104,875$335,600$265 smaller · less walkable · newer homes
Rocky River, OH 44116 80%620$93,799$349,300$246 smaller · newer homes
Portland, ME 04103 79%1,133$89,796$459,500$356 pricier homes ($105K more) · 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.