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 Topeka, KS 66611

Topeka: median income $55,837, home value $156,600, $122/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lansing, MI 48912 91%637$54,429$150,200$123 larger
Tulsa, OK 74145 91%202$58,706$171,800$137 larger
Amarillo, TX 79106 91%431$59,493$174,400$134 larger
Oklahoma City, OK 73122 88%264$51,227$172,100$125 7 min longer commute
Clarion, PA 16214 87%874$57,521$171,600$107 younger residents · less walkable
Bloomington, IL 61701 87%370$57,130$144,500$114 larger
Shreveport, LA 71104 87%464$56,833$164,000$97 less walkable
Oklahoma City, OK 73112 87%263$58,419$196,400$156 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Rochester, NY 14615 86%981$51,262$137,500$148 larger
Cincinnati, OH 45246 86%601$65,370$205,500$166 pricier homes ($49K more)
La Crosse, WI 54603 86%406$52,012$181,900$173 pricier homes ($25K more)
Cayce, SC 29033 85%883$61,237$163,800$167 Very close on everything we compare
Columbia, SC 29204 85%884$50,189$199,600$166 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Cincinnati, OH 45217 85%600$62,200$171,300$128 smaller · older homes
Lansing, MI 48910 85%635$54,712$129,000$130 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Kansas City, MO 64117 85%64$59,601$186,900$164 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
El Paso, TX 79935 85%779$61,323$197,500$149 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Roanoke, VA 24012 84%864$52,973$184,400$143 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Albany, GA 31707 84%826$50,862$133,900$98 larger
Toledo, OH 43614 84%660$58,961$168,400$141 larger · 6 min longer commute
Fort Wayne, IN 46805 84%577$52,154$154,200$147 larger · older homes
Clarksville, IN 47129 84%538$56,185$170,600$139 larger
West Columbia, SC 29169 83%881$57,122$209,200$160 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Montgomery, AL 36111 83%701$61,259$168,900$90 Very close on everything we compare
Dayton, OH 45449 83%614$63,800$163,500$134 larger · 6 min longer commute

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.