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 63124

Saint Louis: median income $193,942, home value $988,600, $376/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Raleigh, NC 27608 80%674$162,188$977,400$454 lower income ($32K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Birmingham, AL 35223 80%409$168,278$775,100$284 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($214K less) · more homeowners
Atlanta, GA 30327 79%468$189,250$1,136,500$399 pricier homes ($148K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Wilmington, DE 19807 77%793$153,341$936,900$299 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($52K less) · 8 min longer commute
Nashville, TN 37215 77%262$155,863$1,046,500$413 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($58K more) · larger
Birmingham, MI 48009 76%463$153,401$697,900$377 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($291K less) · larger
Wayzata, MN 55391 76%468$174,301$923,400$340 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Birmingham, AL 35213 75%408$159,824$789,800$321 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($199K less) · younger residents
Leawood, KS 66206 75%229$174,394$672,100$289 cheaper homes ($317K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Minneapolis, MN 55439 74%458$168,693$649,800$268 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · 5 min longer commute
Nashville, TN 37205 73%260$139,152$953,300$403 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Berwyn, PA 19312 71%803$204,384$855,000$376 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 13 min longer commute
Lake Oswego, OR 97034 70%1,710$149,236$1,047,500$444 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Charlotte, NC 28207 69%578$217,204$1,409,300$595 pricier homes ($421K more) · 6 min longer commute · more walkable
Minneapolis, MN 55424 69%459$250,000+*$992,600$415 higher income ($56K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Minneapolis, MN 55436 69%460$144,129$643,400$292 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($345K less)
Essex, MA 01929 68%1,061$156,442$902,000$416 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Nashville, TN 37220 68%266$180,417$818,200$392 cheaper homes ($170K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 68%460$167,143$708,300$271 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($280K less) · 10 min longer commute
Portland, OR 97221 68%1,713$145,671$821,400$342 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($167K less) · younger residents
Devon, PA 19333 67%804$173,107$760,700$386 cheaper homes ($228K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 66%1,100$146,054$729,800$426 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($259K less) · 7 min longer commute
Vienna, VA 22181 66%705$211,911$998,300$402 younger residents · 12 min longer commute · newer homes
Tampa, FL 33629 66%868$164,355$851,400$493 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350 66%375$201,000$855,300$392 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller · more homeowners

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.