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 Fort Belvoir, VA 22060

Fort Belvoir: median income $105,605, home value $764,000, $340/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Atlanta, GA 30346 66%518$95,000$595,900$323 cheaper homes ($168K less) · smaller · older residents
Irving, TX 75039 66%1,177$104,853$597,800$234 cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger · older residents
Tampa, FL 33602 65%802$97,320$653,100$431 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger · older residents
San Antonio, TX 78256 64%1,374$74,977$579,300$242 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · older residents
Stamford, CT 06901 62%251$102,641$478,700$463 cheaper homes ($285K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Dallas, TX 75204 61%1,171$92,253$479,500$314 cheaper homes ($285K less) · larger · older residents
Dallas, TX 75206 61%1,170$91,023$615,400$363 cheaper homes ($149K less) · larger · older residents
San Diego, CA 92108 61%2,261$103,884$618,700$563 cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger · older residents
Portland, OR 97227 61%2,348$93,293$662,000$294 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · older residents
Charlotte, NC 28203 60%316$104,696$707,800$459 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · more homeowners
Charlotte, NC 28204 60%315$92,054$585,200$326 cheaper homes ($179K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Addison, TX 75001 60%1,169$73,514$468,800$259 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($295K less) · larger
Atlanta, GA 30329 59%522$76,579$488,300$229 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($276K less) · larger
Phoenix, AZ 85004 59%1,971$73,750$417,400$331 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($347K less) · more walkable
Raleigh, NC 27601 58%218$71,350$579,500$387 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · older residents
San Antonio, TX 78257 58%1,373$81,301$670,400$267 cheaper homes ($94K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Denver, CO 80204 58%1,488$84,829$620,500$401 cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger · older residents
Denver, CO 80216 58%1,485$82,143$425,700$270 cheaper homes ($338K less) · larger · older residents
Denver, CO 80246 58%1,484$67,235$716,400$405 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90010 57%2,293$101,455$834,100$601 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller · older residents
Phoenix, AZ 85054 56%1,960$91,507$687,200$390 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Irvine, CA 92612 56%2,277$106,226$993,800$750 pricier homes ($230K more) · larger · older residents
Sacramento, CA 95811 56%2,369$80,827$761,000$400 older residents · more walkable · older homes
Raleigh, NC 27607 55%217$96,775$707,800$339 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · more homeowners
Charlotte, NC 28202 55%315$105,889$443,500$361 cheaper homes ($321K less) · 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.