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 Chicago, IL 60636

Chicago: median income $38,807, home value $155,300, $151/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hammond, IN 46320 67%14$37,158$135,000$133 smaller · 12 min shorter commute · less walkable
Houston, TX 77012 67%935$45,025$162,200$156 smaller · 10 min shorter commute · more renters
Waterbury, CT 06704 66%755$48,718$192,000$205 pricier homes ($37K more) · 11 min shorter commute · newer homes
Dallas, TX 75216 64%802$41,386$159,800$171 larger · 11 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Houston, TX 77026 63%931$39,211$175,000$178 13 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · newer homes
Houston, TX 77028 63%928$38,357$121,100$160 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Houston, TX 77076 63%929$42,522$177,300$160 12 min shorter commute · newer homes
Milwaukee, WI 53216 62%92$46,752$143,400$125 16 min shorter commute · newer homes
Houston, TX 77011 62%934$50,133$209,300$179 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · older residents
Jacksonville, FL 32206 61%857$39,242$173,400$134 smaller · 16 min shorter commute
Cleveland, OH 44119 61%316$44,077$117,100$97 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · older residents
Houston, TX 77033 61%940$38,071$128,900$139 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Houston, TX 77093 61%928$46,766$142,800$118 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · newer homes
San Antonio, TX 78214 61%1,050$44,902$128,800$132 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 14 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45205 60%246$43,682$127,900$106 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Indianapolis, IN 46218 60%159$38,063$103,100$94 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 10 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Hammond, IN 46327 60%13$47,288$142,100$182 smaller · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
San Antonio, TX 78220 60%1,044$41,710$143,700$141 smaller · 12 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Saint Louis, MO 63111 59%260$47,039$128,400$101 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 14 min shorter commute
Houston, TX 77020 59%932$50,119$163,300$175 13 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · newer homes
Darby, PA 19023 58%660$46,463$153,300$141 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Baltimore, MD 21216 58%602$42,031$147,800$112 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Louisville, KY 40210 58%264$35,347$98,700$99 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 13 min shorter commute
Houston, TX 77087 58%938$52,847$177,900$139 13 min shorter commute · newer homes
San Antonio, TX 78210 58%1,047$55,028$189,400$174 pricier homes ($34K more) · 14 min shorter 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.