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 Sugar Land, TX 77478

Sugar Land: median income $118,495, home value $404,600, $182/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Avon Lake, OH 44012 95%1,119$115,567$368,300$213 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Ballwin, MO 63011 93%685$124,454$400,900$188 larger
Peachtree City, GA 30269 92%700$113,807$481,500$238 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger
Aurora, OH 44202 92%1,136$118,750$375,300$207 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Farmington, MI 48331 92%1,119$127,633$410,000$182 Very close on everything we compare
Batavia, IL 60510 92%938$121,622$392,200$237 Very close on everything we compare
Tallahassee, FL 32312 91%681$123,032$432,100$228 pricier homes ($28K more)
East Amherst, NY 14051 90%1,316$135,663$421,300$238 Very close on everything we compare
Longwood, FL 32779 90%858$121,826$480,200$249 pricier homes ($76K more)
Allison Park, PA 15101 89%1,160$114,634$334,500$227 cheaper homes ($70K less) · older homes
Hillsborough, NC 27278 89%1,055$105,887$414,100$235 Very close on everything we compare
Brighton, MI 48116 89%1,108$106,763$385,900$216 Very close on everything we compare
Saline, MI 48176 89%1,088$114,206$408,300$229 less walkable
Rochester, MI 48309 89%1,134$121,007$424,600$196 5 min shorter commute
Reading, PA 19608 88%1,327$110,173$332,400$178 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Marietta, GA 30064 88%711$122,195$466,700$194 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · younger residents
Tallahassee, FL 32309 88%688$113,412$376,000$206 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Broadview Heights, OH 44147 88%1,123$103,125$316,700$200 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Akron, OH 44333 88%1,117$131,821$382,200$191 older homes
Loveland, OH 45140 88%926$114,827$360,300$207 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Lees Summit, MO 64064 88%652$117,674$389,000$184 Very close on everything we compare
Kansas City, MO 64152 88%665$114,688$375,400$184 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Tucson, AZ 85748 88%916$95,750$368,700$221 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Manlius, NY 13104 87%1,425$127,933$337,100$212 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Honeoye Falls, NY 14472 87%1,358$129,655$375,700$216 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · older homes

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.