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 Fort Worth, TX 76103

Fort Worth: median income $60,172, home value $205,000, $171/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Joliet, IL 60436 96%784$62,961$180,800$182 Very close on everything we compare
Cincinnati, OH 45239 91%836$60,324$171,100$154 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Wyoming, MI 49509 91%942$65,132$202,100$208 larger
Des Moines, IA 50315 91%640$60,590$173,200$187 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Joliet, IL 60432 91%790$64,917$193,700$177 Very close on everything we compare
Racine, WI 53403 90%859$59,820$176,000$188 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Spokane, WA 99207 89%1,472$60,452$274,100$185 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger
Norfolk, VA 23513 88%1,224$68,380$234,000$200 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Hampton, VA 23663 88%1,220$54,336$202,300$191 older residents · newer homes
Jacksonville, FL 32211 88%937$57,021$229,700$179 larger
Beech Grove, IN 46107 88%786$56,799$181,100$126 Very close on everything we compare
Des Moines, IA 50316 88%644$56,090$154,300$159 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Sioux City, IA 51103 88%676$58,197$142,900$138 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Joliet, IL 60433 88%789$66,515$172,300$173 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents
Independence, MO 64052 88%465$59,007$150,600$139 cheaper homes ($54K less) · older residents
Indianapolis, IN 46203 87%786$57,393$168,200$137 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Omaha, NE 68107 87%589$62,560$154,200$159 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Aberdeen, WA 98520 87%1,703$58,153$250,800$169 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · older residents
Portsmouth, VA 23701 86%1,216$62,349$235,200$203 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · older residents
Indianapolis, IN 46219 86%790$60,803$184,900$118 larger
Saint Louis, MO 63125 86%558$61,624$178,600$155 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · older residents
Portsmouth, VA 23707 85%1,217$48,926$230,800$178 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Columbus, OH 43204 85%931$59,266$185,800$162 larger · more renters
Fort Wayne, IN 46807 85%880$58,685$153,200$128 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Kenosha, WI 53143 85%851$68,343$200,500$184 older residents · less walkable

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.