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 Houston, TX 77046

Houston: median income $131,932, home value $286,500, $158/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Atlanta, GA 30363 69%706$123,667$429,900$257 pricier homes ($143K more) · larger · newer homes
Chicago, IL 60606 56%945$128,609$416,400$334 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · younger residents
Minneapolis, MN 55401 54%1,060$113,522$396,500$318 pricier homes ($110K more) · larger · more renters
Atlanta, GA 30326 51%709$121,984$448,000$323 pricier homes ($162K more) · larger · younger residents
Chicago, IL 60603 49%945$133,545$633,900$350 pricier homes ($347K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Schaumburg, IL 60173 47%946$104,390$372,000$265 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
Madison, WI 53717 45%978$98,180$415,100$240 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($129K more) · larger
Kansas City, MO 64112 44%645$100,736$410,800$265 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($124K more) · larger
Schaumburg, IL 60195 43%945$90,174$319,300$243 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Eden Prairie, MN 55344 42%1,051$89,565$363,500$217 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($77K more) · larger
Chicago, IL 60661 42%945$125,741$392,900$407 pricier homes ($106K more) · larger · younger residents
Chicago, IL 60602 41%945$126,202$391,800$421 pricier homes ($105K more) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Atlanta, GA 30309 40%706$114,072$432,300$342 pricier homes ($146K more) · larger · younger residents
Minneapolis, MN 55415 40%1,060$124,921$625,500$406 pricier homes ($339K more) · larger · younger residents
Minneapolis, MN 55435 40%1,052$79,884$361,300$216 lower income ($52K less) · pricier homes ($75K more) · larger
Philadelphia, PA 19106 39%1,345$121,047$517,900$407 pricier homes ($231K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Wilmington, DE 19806 39%1,319$88,855$386,000$259 lower income ($43K less) · pricier homes ($100K more) · larger
Memphis, TN 38103 39%488$76,278$397,300$207 lower income ($56K less) · pricier homes ($111K more) · larger
Minneapolis, MN 55413 39%1,061$85,282$371,600$249 lower income ($47K less) · pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Leawood, KS 66211 39%640$106,486$633,300$225 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($347K more) · larger
Chicago, IL 60605 38%945$123,922$453,200$334 pricier homes ($167K more) · larger · younger residents
Savoy, IL 61874 38%821$91,667$316,300$172 lower income ($40K less) · pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
West Lebanon, NH 03784 37%1,593$91,000$371,500$284 lower income ($41K less) · pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Philadelphia, PA 19102 37%1,344$102,093$479,000$322 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($193K more) · larger
Reston, VA 20190 37%1,210$134,746$581,400$402 pricier homes ($295K more) · larger · 9 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.