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 Metairie, LA 70003

Metairie: median income $76,261, home value $261,000, $166/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salem, VA 24153 96%770$74,260$266,500$157 Very close on everything we compare
Troy, OH 45373 95%772$75,742$253,400$168 Very close on everything we compare
Xenia, OH 45385 95%758$76,564$218,400$170 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Warren, MI 48092 95%951$73,808$220,400$156 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Greensburg, PA 15601 94%932$78,555$228,000$175 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Highland, IN 46322 94%813$78,062$233,300$168 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Sterling Heights, MI 48310 94%954$78,058$274,700$160 Very close on everything we compare
Kansas City, MO 64119 94%681$83,929$229,700$159 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Colonial Heights, VA 23834 93%891$84,338$253,400$184 Very close on everything we compare
North Olmsted, OH 44070 93%915$84,363$219,800$177 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Pueblo, CO 81005 93%1,001$70,574$298,500$166 pricier homes ($38K more)
Buffalo, NY 14224 92%1,090$80,052$238,500$205 Very close on everything we compare
Roanoke, VA 24019 92%780$77,870$260,800$161 newer homes
Youngstown, OH 44514 92%932$79,808$205,500$161 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
South Bend, IN 46614 92%833$74,153$187,500$145 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Columbus, IN 47203 92%684$72,112$244,100$147 smaller
Trenton, MI 48183 92%925$83,508$222,500$154 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Sterling Heights, MI 48312 92%955$68,061$264,500$151 Very close on everything we compare
Muskegon, MI 49441 92%937$67,427$213,500$169 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Racine, WI 53402 92%893$75,751$230,800$190 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Saint Louis, MO 63123 92%591$77,055$219,400$193 cheaper homes ($42K less)
North Tonawanda, NY 14120 91%1,098$74,871$222,500$215 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Aliquippa, PA 15001 91%919$70,985$189,100$186 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Gettysburg, PA 17325 91%1,000$80,948$287,200$191 pricier homes ($26K more)
York, PA 17406 91%1,033$83,521$234,100$162 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller

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.