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 66614

Topeka: median income $71,377, home value $194,100, $130/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Erie, PA 16509 96%849$68,846$220,500$169 pricier homes ($26K more)
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 96%298$73,439$194,000$133 Very close on everything we compare
Lansing, MI 48917 95%635$70,990$222,900$149 pricier homes ($29K more)
North Little Rock, AR 72116 94%350$79,010$232,600$132 pricier homes ($39K more)
Omaha, NE 68137 93%153$80,739$252,200$160 pricier homes ($58K more)
Amarillo, TX 79109 93%430$70,435$222,900$142 pricier homes ($29K more)
Paducah, KY 42001 92%408$71,365$215,300$143 less walkable
Sioux Falls, SD 57103 91%316$72,831$269,500$173 pricier homes ($75K more)
Peoria, IL 61614 91%347$66,924$172,100$118 Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, IL 62704 91%328$69,976$172,600$112 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Joseph, MO 64506 91%73$65,573$240,300$150 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller
Rochester, NY 14626 90%981$78,204$198,400$180 Very close on everything we compare
Louisville, KY 40220 90%549$78,434$264,200$160 pricier homes ($70K more)
Toledo, OH 43623 90%663$71,171$169,300$146 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Saginaw, MI 48603 90%681$66,352$186,800$130 less walkable
Saint Cloud, MN 56303 90%460$65,198$205,200$145 Very close on everything we compare
Fairview Heights, IL 62208 90%310$80,205$176,000$134 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Kearney, NE 68847 90%212$73,818$238,400$143 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Jeffersonville, IN 47130 89%542$70,290$214,000$173 larger
Lafayette, IN 47905 89%482$65,861$235,600$176 pricier homes ($42K more)
Davenport, IA 52806 89%323$74,297$190,400$162 less walkable
Wausau, WI 54401 89%515$71,586$196,700$165 less walkable
Belleville, IL 62226 89%311$70,797$167,000$120 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 7 min longer commute
Texarkana, TX 75503 89%394$72,159$229,800$148 pricier homes ($36K more) · less walkable
Erie, PA 16506 88%844$81,060$237,300$201 pricier homes ($43K 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.