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 63131

Saint Louis: median income $225,493, home value $778,100, $283/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cincinnati, OH 45243 85%331$171,172$627,000$288 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($151K less)
Birmingham, AL 35223 83%410$168,278$775,100$284 lower income ($57K less) · smaller
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 81%465$178,103$661,900$229 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($116K less) · 6 min longer commute
Leawood, KS 66206 81%226$174,394$672,100$289 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($106K less) · older homes
Colleyville, TX 76034 81%545$217,914$782,300$281 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Franklin, MI 48025 80%464$185,000$544,500$246 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($234K less) · older homes
New Haven, CT 06525 79%945$188,750$588,100$261 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($190K less) · smaller
Nashville, TN 37220 78%268$180,417$818,200$392 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 78%464$167,143$708,300$271 lower income ($58K less) · cheaper homes ($70K less) · 6 min longer commute
Minneapolis, MN 55439 75%458$168,693$649,800$268 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller
Albuquerque, NM 87122 75%917$169,041$650,200$264 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($128K less) · 5 min longer commute
Germantown, TN 38139 74%247$178,661$575,500$185 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($203K less) · 5 min longer commute
Ada, MI 49301 74%397$183,125$548,800$273 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($229K less) · newer homes
Southlake, TX 76092 74%542$250,000+*$1,007,500$367 pricier homes ($229K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Austin, TX 78733 74%711$206,368$1,008,600$407 pricier homes ($231K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Topsfield, MA 01983 73%1,057$195,718$853,400$402 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller
South Glastonbury, CT 06073 73%966$201,477$560,900$270 cheaper homes ($217K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Troy, MI 48098 73%470$164,759$509,400$205 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($269K less) · 6 min longer commute
Bellaire, TX 77401 73%679$243,750$1,036,800$323 pricier homes ($259K more) · more walkable · newer homes
West Simsbury, CT 06092 72%953$204,458$486,900$254 cheaper homes ($291K less) · smaller · younger residents
Chester, NJ 07930 72%851$240,954$771,200$361 smaller · 12 min longer commute
Huntington Woods, MI 48070 72%466$190,150$473,900$262 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller
Wayzata, MN 55391 72%468$174,301$923,400$340 lower income ($51K less) · pricier homes ($145K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Minneapolis, MN 55424 72%459$250,000+*$992,600$415 pricier homes ($215K more) · smaller · more walkable
Lake Forest, IL 60045 72%285$233,125$923,500$404 pricier homes ($145K more) · 12 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes

* 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.