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 55434

Minneapolis: median income $90,336, home value $301,100, $198/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bolingbrook, IL 60440 93%353$93,494$277,000$210 larger
Roy, UT 84067 92%984$91,115$382,600$216 pricier homes ($82K more)
Woodstock, IL 60098 91%310$91,062$276,900$185 older residents
Ogden, UT 84404 91%979$85,057$396,800$228 pricier homes ($96K more) · larger
Salt Lake City, UT 84129 90%995$95,844$434,000$242 pricier homes ($133K more)
Ogden, UT 84405 90%981$84,106$425,100$203 pricier homes ($124K more)
Janesville, WI 53546 89%273$75,825$239,400$192 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Carpentersville, IL 60110 89%326$87,906$233,700$215 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Elgin, IL 60123 89%328$87,693$261,000$210 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Virginia Beach, VA 23453 88%1,064$93,838$336,900$234 pricier homes ($36K more) · more renters
Louisville, KY 40291 88%627$81,267$276,900$170 Very close on everything we compare
Magna, UT 84044 88%999$90,346$376,200$231 pricier homes ($75K more)
Brigham City, UT 84302 88%974$79,706$391,500$215 pricier homes ($90K more)
Glendale, AZ 85304 88%1,283$86,927$379,700$241 pricier homes ($79K more) · more single-family homes
Kennewick, WA 99337 88%1,246$98,848$395,500$225 pricier homes ($94K more)
Absecon, NJ 08205 87%1,034$93,370$292,400$208 older residents
York, PA 17402 87%916$81,166$250,400$166 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Painesville, OH 44077 87%649$85,056$221,200$168 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · older residents
Sterling Heights, MI 48310 87%538$78,058$274,700$160 cheaper homes ($26K less) · less walkable
Mchenry, IL 60050 87%315$88,812$263,700$196 cheaper homes ($37K less) · older residents
Streamwood, IL 60107 87%334$101,100$271,200$234 cheaper homes ($30K less) · 6 min longer commute
Deer Park, TX 77536 87%1,075$102,045$264,600$160 cheaper homes ($37K less)
West Jordan, UT 84084 87%995$96,056$459,400$253 pricier homes ($158K more)
Mantua, NJ 08051 86%990$92,071$267,200$237 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Red Lion, PA 17356 86%920$86,561$240,500$150 cheaper homes ($61K less)

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.