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 Saint Louis, MO 63123

Saint Louis: median income $77,055, home value $219,400, $193/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Racine, WI 53402 97%321$75,751$230,800$190 Very close on everything we compare
Tonawanda, NY 14150 96%674$71,406$200,700$205 Very close on everything we compare
Buffalo, NY 14224 95%674$80,052$238,500$205 Very close on everything we compare
Schenectady, NY 12303 94%905$84,375$238,100$226 smaller
Beaver Falls, PA 15010 93%551$71,200$192,900$156 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
North Olmsted, OH 44070 93%487$84,363$219,800$177 smaller
Cincinnati, OH 45231 93%314$71,353$176,000$156 cheaper homes ($43K less)
North Tonawanda, NY 14120 92%675$74,871$222,500$215 Very close on everything we compare
Clairton, PA 15025 92%568$76,531$227,800$187 smaller
Berea, OH 44017 92%488$75,231$198,400$170 smaller
Metairie, LA 70003 92%591$76,261$261,000$166 pricier homes ($42K more)
Enfield, CT 06082 91%964$90,404$252,900$228 pricier homes ($34K more)
Aliquippa, PA 15001 91%551$70,985$189,100$186 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · older residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15236 91%565$90,767$233,400$194 smaller
Dearborn, MI 48124 91%453$81,796$204,200$170 Very close on everything we compare
Oak Park, MI 48237 91%462$71,510$212,300$165 smaller
Schenectady, NY 12306 90%904$83,202$222,500$213 smaller
Madison Heights, MI 48071 90%467$69,503$199,100$196 smaller
Muskegon, MI 49441 90%385$67,427$213,500$169 Very close on everything we compare
Des Moines, IA 50310 90%277$76,381$222,700$212 smaller
Deptford, NJ 08096 89%825$89,013$269,000$222 pricier homes ($50K more)
Depew, NY 14043 89%678$74,112$212,100$204 smaller
Rochester, NY 14624 89%729$87,989$184,700$181 cheaper homes ($35K less) · newer homes
Greensburg, PA 15601 89%588$78,555$228,000$175 older residents
Highland, IN 46322 89%257$78,062$233,300$168 smaller

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.