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 Plainfield, IL 60585

Plainfield: median income $155,511, home value $453,200, $216/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Grand Prairie, TX 75054 93%792$163,229$470,000$168 Very close on everything we compare
San Antonio, TX 78260 93%1,005$154,590$498,100$190 pricier homes ($45K more)
Bowie, MD 20720 92%629$158,997$564,600$216 pricier homes ($111K more)
Harrisburg, NC 28075 92%598$144,288$482,800$205 pricier homes ($30K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Boerne, TX 78015 92%1,009$162,487$492,400$206 pricier homes ($39K more)
Plano, TX 75094 91%754$171,476$539,200$193 pricier homes ($86K more)
Odessa, FL 33556 90%986$149,722$625,200$266 pricier homes ($172K more)
Frisco, TX 75036 90%753$151,645$564,500$229 pricier homes ($111K more)
Aledo, TX 76008 90%805$168,314$493,200$205 pricier homes ($40K more)
San Antonio, TX 78261 90%1,003$147,727$430,200$182 Very close on everything we compare
Apex, NC 27539 89%650$145,947$565,600$237 pricier homes ($112K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Matthews, NC 28104 89%611$138,017$533,500$253 pricier homes ($80K more)
San Antonio, TX 78255 89%1,014$157,428$531,400$212 pricier homes ($78K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 88%694$157,009$488,100$252 pricier homes ($35K more) · 6 min shorter commute
New Market, MD 21774 88%595$171,103$541,000$241 pricier homes ($88K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Cumming, GA 30041 88%561$152,564$574,300$219 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger
South Lyon, MI 48178 88%240$131,558$410,500$203 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Celina, TX 75009 88%742$168,250$515,400$185 pricier homes ($62K more)
Rockwall, TX 75032 88%754$135,742$491,300$198 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Mckinney, TX 75072 88%743$165,682$502,700$210 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Gilbertsville, PA 19525 87%664$140,403$405,400$216 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Moseley, VA 23120 87%629$158,667$569,300$224 pricier homes ($116K more) · less walkable
Rolesville, NC 27571 87%658$131,139$495,100$184 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Waxhaw, NC 28173 87%617$150,597$608,000$231 pricier homes ($155K more) · larger
Saint Augustine, FL 32095 87%890$136,038$525,000$229 pricier homes ($72K more) · 5 min shorter commute

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.