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 63141

Saint Louis: median income $133,851, home value $620,900, $214/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Leawood, KS 66209 91%225$143,393$598,200$206 newer homes
Dublin, OH 43017 89%404$135,922$523,500$226 cheaper homes ($97K less) · larger
Minneapolis, MN 55447 89%465$133,555$471,000$229 cheaper homes ($150K less)
Henrico, VA 23233 87%714$125,665$479,000$248 cheaper homes ($142K less) · larger · newer homes
Atlanta, GA 30338 87%470$135,148$611,300$249 larger · 6 min longer commute
Farmington, CT 06032 86%952$140,912$445,400$268 cheaper homes ($176K less) · 6 min longer commute
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 86%431$116,194$471,700$288 cheaper homes ($149K less) · larger
Brookfield, WI 53045 86%328$123,750$457,700$241 cheaper homes ($163K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55123 86%447$139,215$461,200$197 cheaper homes ($160K less)
Minneapolis, MN 55436 86%457$144,129$643,400$292 older residents
West Chester, PA 19382 85%799$132,091$568,500$282 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Cary, NC 27513 85%671$121,989$519,800$258 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger · newer homes
Charlotte, NC 28226 85%587$118,606$617,600$282 larger · 6 min longer commute
Cincinnati, OH 45249 85%332$105,804$495,000$214 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($126K less)
Englewood, CO 80111 85%775$135,995$916,500$314 pricier homes ($296K more) · larger
Newtown Square, PA 19073 84%809$134,839$610,300$279 6 min longer commute
West Chester, PA 19380 84%799$122,899$564,400$278 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Lutherville Timonium, MD 21093 84%742$125,528$477,700$252 cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Chapel Hill, NC 27517 84%657$128,683$608,100$284 newer homes
Raleigh, NC 27613 84%673$123,966$520,600$249 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger · newer homes
Raleigh, NC 27615 84%677$112,754$479,000$241 cheaper homes ($142K less) · larger
Memphis, TN 38120 84%246$123,538$460,700$168 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Minneapolis, MN 55442 84%467$123,859$460,100$190 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller
Wheaton, IL 60189 84%253$128,878$482,800$259 cheaper homes ($138K less) · 7 min longer commute
Lake Oswego, OR 97035 84%1,708$130,603$837,100$364 pricier homes ($216K 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.