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 Bloomington, IL 61701

Bloomington: median income $57,130, home value $144,500, $114/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lansing, MI 48910 93%276$54,712$129,000$130 Very close on everything we compare
Topeka, KS 66604 93%371$60,874$139,100$123 smaller
Oklahoma City, OK 73112 91%579$58,419$196,400$156 pricier homes ($52K more)
Toledo, OH 43606 90%292$66,917$169,000$130 Very close on everything we compare
Toledo, OH 43614 90%290$58,961$168,400$141 5 min longer commute
Lansing, MI 48912 90%278$54,429$150,200$123 smaller · more renters
Wichita, KS 67203 90%488$52,028$143,800$124 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Wayne, IN 46805 89%207$52,154$154,200$147 smaller
Amarillo, TX 79106 89%792$59,493$174,400$134 pricier homes ($30K more)
Tulsa, OK 74145 88%481$58,706$171,800$137 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Topeka, KS 66606 87%370$57,169$130,600$115 smaller
Topeka, KS 66611 87%370$55,837$156,600$122 smaller
Wichita, KS 67218 87%485$49,059$122,300$118 smaller
Utica, NY 13502 86%731$57,835$158,000$154 Very close on everything we compare
Wichita, KS 67208 86%484$60,914$183,300$126 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Omaha, NE 68104 86%370$60,549$168,100$158 more single-family homes
El Paso, TX 79925 86%1,137$57,623$192,900$140 pricier homes ($48K more) · 5 min longer commute
Syracuse, NY 13206 85%687$63,136$148,700$163 smaller · older homes
Memphis, TN 38111 85%375$52,589$190,100$136 pricier homes ($46K more) · more renters
Corpus Christi, TX 78411 85%1,002$57,742$184,700$143 pricier homes ($40K more)
Columbia, SC 29204 83%625$50,189$199,600$166 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Montgomery, AL 36111 83%582$61,259$168,900$90 smaller
Newport, KY 41071 83%259$59,976$192,900$190 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Sandusky, OH 44870 83%334$62,082$163,200$139 less walkable
Dayton, OH 45420 83%262$60,588$131,300$153 more single-family 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.