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 Cranston, RI 02920

Cranston: median income $80,717, home value $370,000, $280/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fresno, CA 93704 95%2,574$73,234$401,600$252 pricier homes ($32K more)
Minneapolis, MN 55420 93%1,113$82,170$328,400$207 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Trenton, NJ 08610 92%201$83,906$264,600$282 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Minneapolis, MN 55423 92%1,112$85,182$343,900$217 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Portland, OR 97220 92%2,524$70,137$450,200$325 pricier homes ($80K more)
Portland, OR 97230 92%2,521$75,572$450,700$255 pricier homes ($81K more) · newer homes
Norfolk, VA 23518 91%420$77,594$300,700$238 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Des Plaines, IL 60018 91%843$90,574$318,100$272 cheaper homes ($52K less)
New Bedford, MA 02745 90%28$74,034$368,600$316 smaller
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334 90%1,184$75,361$469,700$375 pricier homes ($100K more)
Colorado Springs, CO 80907 90%1,757$74,402$414,900$260 pricier homes ($45K more)
Portland, OR 97222 90%2,528$83,119$490,900$316 pricier homes ($121K more)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 89%1,191$75,952$423,300$350 pricier homes ($53K more) · 5 min longer commute
Villa Park, IL 60181 89%849$92,142$311,500$269 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Houston, TX 77009 89%1,567$83,148$420,200$266 pricier homes ($50K more)
Englewood, CO 80110 89%1,752$85,900$497,300$284 pricier homes ($127K more) · smaller
Salem, OR 97302 89%2,557$85,833$446,400$268 pricier homes ($76K more)
Allentown, PA 18103 88%223$72,895$272,700$193 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Tampa, FL 33603 88%1,136$74,081$391,000$322 smaller
Saint Petersburg, FL 33705 88%1,156$73,027$365,600$297 7 min longer commute
Saint Petersburg, FL 33713 88%1,155$74,707$323,000$342 cheaper homes ($47K less) · more single-family homes
Saint Paul, MN 55109 88%1,102$86,776$315,600$196 cheaper homes ($54K less) · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55421 88%1,113$70,772$277,300$195 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Dallas, TX 75208 88%1,521$81,950$438,400$281 pricier homes ($68K more)
Albuquerque, NM 87112 88%1,938$73,937$281,400$209 cheaper homes ($89K less)

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.