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.

Reset

Towns most like San Bernardino, CA 92401

San Bernardino: median income $26,596, home value $353,700, $532/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Knoxville, TN 37915 64%1,884$26,379$210,800$322 cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger · younger residents
Chattanooga, TN 37402 57%1,812$24,214$268,800$332 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · older residents
Anniston, AL 36205 56%1,799$24,734$251,600— cheaper homes ($102K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Newark, NJ 07114 50%2,385$36,019$373,200$226 larger
Louisville, KY 40202 50%1,773$35,584$257,300$258 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33127 48%2,279$41,230$408,800$464 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
Cincinnati, OH 45203 45%1,839$21,973$356,900$185 younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Jacksonville, FL 32202 44%2,089$34,825$268,800$159 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Detroit, MI 48201 44%1,928$24,749$412,600$323 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · younger residents
Wilkes Barre, PA 18701 42%2,295$33,329$203,600— cheaper homes ($150K less) · larger · younger residents
Miami, FL 33135 41%2,279$40,567$418,500$381 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
New Orleans, LA 70112 41%1,615$19,395$391,900$408 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Reno, NV 89501 41%399$33,963$414,000$352 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · older residents
Miami, FL 33150 40%2,278$40,873$453,400$404 pricier homes ($100K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Las Vegas, NV 89169 40%185$40,904$315,100$213 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Miami, FL 33136 39%2,280$44,843$416,900$328 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · newer homes
San Antonio, TX 78208 39%1,150$26,595$146,600$187 cheaper homes ($207K less) · larger · more homeowners
Pittsburgh, PA 15219 38%2,081$34,897$214,800$211 cheaper homes ($139K less) · larger · younger residents
Dallas, TX 75246 38%1,184$53,555$447,800$256 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($94K more) · older residents
San Antonio, TX 78205 38%1,149$38,964$604,600$518 pricier homes ($251K more) · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Las Vegas, NV 89101 37%188$39,459$283,800$226 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Buffalo, NY 14204 36%2,144$28,182$152,400$150 cheaper homes ($201K less) · larger · older residents
Miami, FL 33142 36%2,278$39,608$349,000$351 larger · 7 min longer commute
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 35%1,490$35,060$157,100$198 cheaper homes ($197K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Waterbury, CT 06702 34%2,441$14,474$286,100— cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger · older 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.