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 San Antonio, TX 78205

San Antonio: median income $38,964, home value $604,600, $518/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Los Angeles, CA 90014 61%1,202$31,000$615,700$541 larger · younger residents · 11 min longer commute
Buffalo, NY 14202 55%1,430$56,528$479,100$288 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · younger residents
Rochester, NY 14604 55%1,494$52,105$784,700— pricier homes ($180K more) · larger · younger residents
Birmingham, AL 35203 55%744$47,434$334,000$274 cheaper homes ($271K less) · larger · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90013 54%1,202$36,948$800,500$537 pricier homes ($196K more) · larger · 15 min longer commute
Knoxville, TN 37902 52%959$50,161$687,500$579 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90021 51%1,202$32,222$1,102,600$743 pricier homes ($498K more) · larger · 16 min longer commute
Portland, OR 97205 49%1,719$57,288$637,100$387 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · newer homes
Richmond, VA 23219 48%1,333$57,507$380,700$361 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger · younger residents
Los Angeles, CA 90058 48%1,199$37,557$464,200— cheaper homes ($140K less) · larger · younger residents
Wichita, KS 67202 47%575$58,234$407,100$275 cheaper homes ($198K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Reno, NV 89501 47%1,395$33,963$414,000$352 cheaper homes ($191K less) · larger · older residents
New Orleans, LA 70112 45%506$19,395$391,900$408 cheaper homes ($213K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Lexington, KY 40507 44%999$41,329$328,600$323 cheaper homes ($276K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Louisville, KY 40202 42%951$35,584$257,300$258 cheaper homes ($347K less) · larger · newer homes
Duluth, MN 55802 42%1,247$51,544$494,400$439 cheaper homes ($110K less) · larger · older residents
Portland, ME 04101 41%1,836$63,880$617,600$568 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Providence, RI 02903 40%1,735$64,476$408,900$475 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($196K less) · larger
Detroit, MI 48226 40%1,238$64,860$324,500$492 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($280K less) · larger
Sacramento, CA 95814 40%1,456$58,284$633,200$355 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · younger residents
Omaha, NE 68102 39%830$64,111$389,400$329 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($215K less) · larger
San Bernardino, CA 92401 38%1,149$26,596$353,700$532 cheaper homes ($251K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
San Francisco, CA 94108 38%1,487$65,388$1,134,100$1,184 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($530K more) · larger
Newark, NJ 07102 37%1,574$38,864$431,500$294 cheaper homes ($173K less) · larger · younger residents
Buffalo, NY 14201 37%1,430$40,512$337,600$194 cheaper homes ($267K less) · larger · younger residents

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.