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 Durham, NH 03824

Durham: median income $124,056, home value $504,300, $335/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boca Raton, FL 33431 67%1,266$107,896$640,700$427 pricier homes ($136K more) · larger · older residents
New Paltz, NY 12561 66%188$92,288$453,500$333 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($51K less) · older residents
Chapel Hill, NC 27514 61%658$92,875$663,900$299 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($160K more) · larger
Ann Arbor, MI 48105 61%651$94,774$503,100$264 lower income ($29K less) · larger · older residents
Fort Worth, TX 76109 61%1,603$100,507$630,800$269 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger · older residents
Nashville, TN 37204 60%971$109,580$907,500$447 pricier homes ($403K more) · older residents · more walkable
Gunnison, CO 81230 60%1,894$77,942$533,200$389 lower income ($46K less) · pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents
Los Alamos, NM 87544 60%1,935$138,583$488,300$290 older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Wheaton, IL 60187 58%879$119,769$433,700$321 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · older residents
Henrico, VA 23233 56%518$125,665$479,000$248 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · older residents
Durham, NC 27713 56%655$100,676$418,400$226 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger · older residents
Atlanta, GA 30342 56%965$124,111$829,400$318 pricier homes ($325K more) · larger · older residents
Amherst, MA 01002 55%94$70,818$481,100$314 lower income ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Birmingham, AL 35243 55%1,085$99,645$538,400$233 pricier homes ($34K more) · older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45249 55%745$105,804$495,000$214 older residents
Raleigh, NC 27607 54%653$96,775$707,800$339 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($204K more) · larger
Columbus, OH 43221 54%663$118,768$446,900$279 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · older residents
Troy, MI 48084 54%622$107,098$444,200$224 cheaper homes ($60K less) · older residents · more renters
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 54%655$116,194$471,700$288 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · older residents
Austin, TX 78727 54%1,712$110,379$540,400$272 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · older residents
Fort Collins, CO 80528 54%1,752$130,350$705,000$246 pricier homes ($201K more) · larger · older residents
Westborough, MA 01581 53%69$141,944$685,300$394 pricier homes ($181K more) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Hamden, CT 06518 53%156$106,692$325,300$212 cheaper homes ($179K less) · older residents · more walkable
Piscataway, NJ 08854 53%254$127,806$449,900$367 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · older residents
Chapel Hill, NC 27516 53%661$106,353$567,200$277 pricier homes ($63K more) · 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.