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 Minneapolis, MN 55429

Minneapolis: median income $72,253, home value $280,900, $179/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Harrisburg, PA 17109 95%900$71,833$215,900$163 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Norfolk, VA 23513 94%1,052$68,380$234,000$200 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Meriden, CT 06450 93%1,058$71,250$242,600$211 cheaper homes ($38K less) · older residents
Newport News, VA 23601 93%1,036$71,279$243,800$204 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Milwaukee, WI 53220 93%303$69,319$229,300$213 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
Omaha, NE 68134 93%294$66,989$222,000$165 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Allentown, PA 18103 92%955$72,895$272,700$193 larger · older residents
Wyoming, MI 49519 92%407$73,762$238,700$189 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Whitehall, PA 18052 91%951$75,665$262,900$201 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Meriden, CT 06451 90%1,057$71,255$239,800$217 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Chesapeake, VA 23325 90%1,056$69,909$272,000$235 newer homes
Milwaukee, WI 53221 90%305$63,265$219,600$203 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Pendleton, OR 97801 90%1,231$71,639$293,000$197 6 min shorter commute
Norwich, CT 06360 89%1,093$65,539$245,700$203 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
York, PA 17403 89%916$75,384$220,500$147 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 89%979$82,005$252,400$217 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Norfolk, VA 23502 89%1,055$63,208$266,200$209 more renters
Hampton, VA 23669 89%1,042$71,222$260,400$187 Very close on everything we compare
Joliet, IL 60435 89%357$76,369$235,500$184 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
West Haven, CT 06516 88%1,057$74,382$291,700$246 larger
Trenton, NJ 08638 88%998$66,875$245,100$257 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Dallastown, PA 17313 88%920$70,176$237,900$163 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · older residents
Chesapeake, VA 23324 88%1,055$57,045$251,800$193 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Jacksonville, FL 32211 88%1,200$57,021$229,700$179 cheaper homes ($51K less)
South Milwaukee, WI 53172 88%310$73,427$235,700$216 cheaper homes ($45K less) · older residents

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.