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 Apex, NC 27502

Apex: median income $143,922, home value $550,900, $241/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glen Allen, VA 23059 97%156$157,897$593,700$238 pricier homes ($43K more)
Fort Mill, SC 29708 95%130$132,018$515,200$226 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Alpharetta, GA 30004 94%329$156,100$657,700$249 pricier homes ($107K more)
Parker, CO 80134 94%1,442$146,778$677,700$225 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Saint Paul, MN 55129 93%973$143,795$534,900$199 Very close on everything we compare
Spring, TX 77382 92%1,038$162,384$566,500$222 Very close on everything we compare
Lewis Center, OH 43035 91%382$154,683$456,400$210 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Powell, OH 43065 91%385$154,481$482,200$215 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Mason, OH 45040 91%390$133,240$440,000$209 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Roanoke, TX 76262 91%1,063$151,250$577,100$248 pricier homes ($26K more)
Suwanee, GA 30024 90%316$143,879$551,000$207 larger · 6 min longer commute
Knoxville, TN 37922 90%296$132,807$523,800$245 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Westerville, OH 43082 90%377$147,972$458,200$214 cheaper homes ($93K less) · older residents
Fishers, IN 46037 90%486$141,810$434,200$165 cheaper homes ($117K less)
Westfield, IN 46074 90%498$126,724$437,100$195 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Aurora, CO 80016 90%1,436$150,492$761,700$200 pricier homes ($211K more)
Littleton, CO 80130 90%1,446$158,741$691,800$235 pricier homes ($141K more) · smaller
Erie, CO 80516 90%1,456$168,725$726,700$241 pricier homes ($176K more)
Mars, PA 16046 89%350$151,560$481,300$212 cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller
Alpharetta, GA 30022 89%328$153,294$635,300$238 pricier homes ($84K more) · older residents
Windermere, FL 34786 89%523$134,214$684,400$308 pricier homes ($134K more)
Collierville, TN 38017 89%612$138,677$495,200$180 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Geneva, IL 60134 89%664$152,727$448,900$249 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · older homes
Elkhorn, NE 68022 89%1,014$148,111$462,800$195 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Frisco, TX 75035 89%1,035$166,590$608,900$222 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger

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.