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 New Orleans, LA 70118

New Orleans: median income $63,750, home value $465,600, $253/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Colorado Springs, CO 80903 88%1,036$61,768$456,100$318 smaller
Saint Paul, MN 55104 87%1,050$75,712$317,700$207 cheaper homes ($148K less)
Worcester, MA 01609 85%1,325$68,381$444,000$267 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Buffalo, NY 14216 84%1,093$69,629$294,700$200 cheaper homes ($171K less) · smaller
Columbus, OH 43206 84%800$75,806$317,300$193 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55407 84%1,049$78,464$335,400$228 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Pittsburgh, PA 15206 83%926$72,920$317,600$235 cheaper homes ($148K less)
Pittsburgh, PA 15208 83%926$63,086$321,100$226 cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55405 82%1,052$73,053$467,700$244 smaller · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Louisville, KY 40204 81%625$71,116$329,000$220 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · older residents
New Haven, CT 06515 80%1,239$73,709$328,900$254 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · newer homes
Covington, KY 41011 80%706$69,970$304,200$204 cheaper homes ($161K less) · newer homes
Lakewood, OH 44107 80%923$68,970$262,200$214 cheaper homes ($203K less)
Saint Louis, MO 63110 80%599$81,655$339,900$208 cheaper homes ($126K less) · smaller
San Antonio, TX 78212 80%503$62,801$330,600$197 cheaper homes ($135K less) · older residents
Milwaukee, WI 53211 79%916$75,256$434,500$282 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Albany, NY 12208 78%1,260$70,413$264,700$207 cheaper homes ($201K less) · smaller · newer homes
Richmond, VA 23220 78%896$61,381$473,100$318 more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Memphis, TN 38104 78%358$58,117$317,200$167 cheaper homes ($148K less) · smaller · older residents
Columbus, OH 43202 78%803$69,524$341,400$264 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller · more renters
Cincinnati, OH 45227 78%714$71,646$298,800$224 cheaper homes ($167K less) · smaller · newer homes
Grand Rapids, MI 49503 78%933$64,661$241,900$211 cheaper homes ($224K less) · more renters
Portland, ME 04102 77%1,443$82,751$503,500$388 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · older residents
Columbia, SC 29205 77%603$64,231$349,700$234 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Savannah, GA 31401 77%555$52,509$552,400$346 pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller · more renters

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.