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 Joliet, IL 60431

Joliet: median income $122,870, home value $294,300, $189/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Farmington, MN 55024 92%343$127,280$378,700$192 pricier homes ($84K more)
Prairieville, LA 70769 92%789$109,404$311,500$179 larger
Elk River, MN 55330 91%388$115,761$382,600$198 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger
Albertville, MN 55301 90%388$129,232$342,100$185 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Saint Michael, MN 55376 90%386$131,266$389,200$185 pricier homes ($95K more)
Dyer, IN 46311 89%22$116,652$331,600$184 pricier homes ($37K more) · older residents
Macomb, MI 48044 89%271$117,856$370,300$168 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger · older residents
Big Lake, MN 55309 89%396$121,711$361,100$187 pricier homes ($67K more)
Sahuarita, AZ 85629 89%1,431$109,253$335,600$176 pricier homes ($41K more)
Alexandria, KY 41001 88%256$102,447$283,600$185 Very close on everything we compare
Independence, KY 41051 88%250$104,201$268,900$193 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Pataskala, OH 43062 88%294$105,968$326,600$202 pricier homes ($32K more)
Wentzville, MO 63385 88%240$112,199$347,200$189 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Guyton, GA 31312 87%728$101,750$295,900$172 less walkable
Navarre, FL 32566 87%766$105,551$385,100$223 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Riverview, FL 33569 87%994$105,275$372,500$206 pricier homes ($78K more) · older residents
Morrow, OH 45152 87%249$123,366$351,700$200 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Oxford, MI 48371 87%256$111,239$370,200$196 pricier homes ($76K more) · older residents
Howell, MI 48855 87%223$108,442$344,600$192 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Jordan, MN 55352 87%362$112,070$414,300$200 pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller
Red Oak, TX 75154 87%788$100,388$345,500$177 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Baytown, TX 77523 87%896$124,188$372,100$174 pricier homes ($78K more)
Pearland, TX 77581 87%920$111,139$338,000$166 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · more renters
Sicklerville, NJ 08081 86%689$105,800$286,200$210 larger
Chesapeake, VA 23323 86%701$108,730$388,300$222 pricier homes ($94K more) · 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.