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 Saint Louis, MO 63106

Saint Louis: median income $20,679, home value $214,400, $88/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Minneapolis, MN 55454 83%464$23,100$186,600$127 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
Cincinnati, OH 45203 61%307$21,973$356,900$185 pricier homes ($143K more) · smaller
Milwaukee, WI 53205 58%327$31,529$124,200$96 cheaper homes ($90K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Hartford, CT 06120 57%948$34,830$184,400$156 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · older homes
Schenectady, NY 12307 57%898$24,758$104,600$122 cheaper homes ($110K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Buffalo, NY 14204 57%661$28,182$152,400$150 cheaper homes ($62K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Milwaukee, WI 53233 56%326$23,750$137,500$146 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · younger residents
Fresno, CA 93701 53%1,615$32,768$246,400$172 pricier homes ($32K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Jacksonville, FL 32202 52%753$34,825$268,800$159 pricier homes ($54K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Cincinnati, OH 45225 52%306$20,348$103,100$66 cheaper homes ($111K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 51%779$33,329$203,600— smaller · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Louisville, KY 40203 51%242$30,794$197,300$145 larger · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Cleveland, OH 44115 51%492$22,056$178,000$205 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Springfield, MA 01105 50%956$24,036$217,800$136 larger · older homes
Memphis, TN 38105 49%242$34,015$90,200$92 cheaper homes ($124K less) · older residents · older homes
Cincinnati, OH 45232 49%308$28,367$130,500$87 cheaper homes ($84K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
North Little Rock, AR 72114 49%291$30,175$130,000$85 cheaper homes ($84K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Chattanooga, TN 37410 48%370$28,708$153,400$174 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · younger residents
El Paso, TX 79901 48%1,032$14,872$91,400$70 cheaper homes ($123K less) · older residents · older homes
Rochester, NY 14605 46%728$21,201$82,700$76 cheaper homes ($132K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Fresno, CA 93721 46%1,615$40,033$243,800$157 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Knoxville, TN 37915 45%393$26,379$210,800$322 more homeowners · more single-family homes
Lubbock, TX 79401 45%738$26,980$105,600$114 cheaper homes ($109K less) · younger residents · 12 min shorter commute
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 44%558$34,897$214,800$211 larger · older homes
Allentown, PA 18101 43%795$44,773$171,300$136 cheaper homes ($43K less) · older 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.