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 Spokane, WA 99201

Spokane: median income $41,171, home value $312,600, $207/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Buffalo, NY 14201 90%1,883$40,512$337,600$194 pricier homes ($25K more) · younger residents
New Orleans, LA 70113 87%1,898$39,333$305,800$141 smaller
Providence, RI 02907 81%2,260$52,485$349,200$213 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Buffalo, NY 14209 81%1,883$50,046$429,400$157 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller
Cincinnati, OH 45229 81%1,740$32,263$285,900$133 cheaper homes ($27K less) · less walkable
Columbus, OH 43203 80%1,782$47,572$319,300$169 smaller · younger residents · newer homes
New Orleans, LA 70119 80%1,896$53,143$371,000$195 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger
Hartford, CT 06105 79%2,202$41,937$402,300$157 pricier homes ($90K more) · more apartments and townhomes
New Haven, CT 06519 78%2,206$49,619$316,700$181 younger residents
Detroit, MI 48208 78%1,703$36,194$176,400$195 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller
Fall River, MA 02723 77%2,277$47,633$357,800$244 pricier homes ($45K more) · 6 min longer commute
New London, CT 06320 77%2,243$59,170$253,300$223 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · younger residents
Milwaukee, WI 53212 77%1,459$47,298$216,300$145 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · younger residents
Saint Louis, MO 63112 77%1,493$45,542$212,700$135 cheaper homes ($100K less) · younger residents
Kansas City, MO 64109 77%1,287$41,943$275,000$124 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Holyoke, MA 01040 76%2,193$53,605$274,100$183 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · newer homes
Albuquerque, NM 87102 75%1,032$42,990$197,300$230 cheaper homes ($115K less) · newer homes
El Paso, TX 79902 74%1,240$50,873$238,500$163 cheaper homes ($74K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Springfield, MA 01108 73%2,199$50,661$250,900$181 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · younger residents
Fall River, MA 02721 73%2,276$52,841$406,000$228 pricier homes ($93K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
New Bedford, MA 02740 73%2,288$55,237$345,800$259 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Detroit, MI 48202 73%1,702$43,627$186,500$123 cheaper homes ($126K less) · younger residents
Albuquerque, NM 87108 73%1,034$42,724$243,200$193 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · newer homes
Springfield, MA 01107 72%2,196$35,632$243,600$187 cheaper homes ($69K less) · younger residents
Hartford, CT 06106 72%2,203$46,304$214,200$187 cheaper homes ($98K 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.