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 Portland, ME 04101

Portland: median income $63,880, home value $617,600, $568/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Providence, RI 02903 83%140$64,476$408,900$475 cheaper homes ($209K less) · smaller · newer homes
Philadelphia, PA 19107 77%360$69,105$458,600$357 cheaper homes ($159K less)
New Orleans, LA 70130 75%1,443$80,212$562,800$325 cheaper homes ($55K less) · more homeowners
Portland, OR 97205 73%2,537$57,288$637,100$387 smaller · newer homes
Omaha, NE 68102 72%1,314$64,111$389,400$329 cheaper homes ($228K less) · smaller · newer homes
Richmond, VA 23220 71%566$61,381$473,100$318 cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger · younger residents
Burlington, VT 05401 70%158$65,657$492,100$360 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · younger residents
Denver, CO 80218 69%1,798$81,706$676,700$398 pricier homes ($59K more) · newer homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84102 69%2,116$52,199$548,700$364 cheaper homes ($69K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Richmond, VA 23219 68%565$57,507$380,700$361 cheaper homes ($237K less) · smaller · more renters
Sacramento, CA 95816 68%2,646$90,839$839,700$504 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($222K more) · more single-family homes
Dorchester, MA 02125 67%103$82,953$657,100$553 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Savannah, GA 31401 67%993$52,509$552,400$346 cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Charleston, SC 29403 65%915$66,944$674,000$586 pricier homes ($56K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Cincinnati, OH 45202 65%801$95,633$443,600$278 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($174K less)
Denver, CO 80203 64%1,798$77,500$470,800$361 cheaper homes ($147K less) · newer homes
Buffalo, NY 14202 63%437$56,528$479,100$288 cheaper homes ($139K less) · smaller · newer homes
Knoxville, TN 37902 63%897$50,161$687,500$579 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller · newer homes
Portland, OR 97214 63%2,534$87,131$771,800$338 pricier homes ($154K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Rochester, NY 14604 62%370$52,105$784,700— pricier homes ($167K more) · smaller · younger residents
Miami Beach, FL 33139 62%1,354$69,793$480,900$574 cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger · older residents
Minneapolis, MN 55405 62%1,139$73,053$467,700$244 cheaper homes ($150K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Pittsburgh, PA 15232 61%543$66,582$553,700$292 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · younger residents
Cleveland, OH 44113 61%601$71,941$299,400$252 cheaper homes ($318K less)
Detroit, MI 48226 61%652$64,860$324,500$492 cheaper homes ($293K less) · smaller · more renters

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.