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 Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Chapel Hill: median income $106,353, home value $567,200, $277/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Austin, TX 78749 89%1,153$111,079$585,200$297 more renters
Carmel, IN 46032 88%474$132,085$496,800$218 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($70K less)
Henrico, VA 23233 87%143$125,665$479,000$248 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Coppell, TX 75019 87%1,037$141,923$559,500$266 higher income ($36K more)
Austin, TX 78750 87%1,144$121,563$601,800$299 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Phoenix, AZ 85048 87%1,874$122,833$592,100$289 older residents
Charleston, SC 29412 85%226$101,509$504,500$355 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Roswell, GA 30076 85%323$118,170$489,700$231 cheaper homes ($78K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Dublin, OH 43017 85%363$135,922$523,500$226 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($44K less)
Broomfield, CO 80020 85%1,437$117,243$601,800$262 pricier homes ($35K more)
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 84%334$124,189$420,000$231 cheaper homes ($147K less)
Fort Mill, SC 29708 84%122$132,018$515,200$226 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($52K less)
Birmingham, AL 35242 84%466$117,047$477,700$198 cheaper homes ($90K less) · older residents
Ann Arbor, MI 48103 84%506$116,194$471,700$288 cheaper homes ($96K less) · older homes
Plano, TX 75025 84%1,021$143,260$486,100$206 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($81K less)
Fort Collins, CO 80528 84%1,436$130,350$705,000$246 pricier homes ($138K more) · smaller
Colorado Springs, CO 80919 84%1,423$119,518$605,900$214 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · older residents
Chandler, AZ 85286 84%1,862$121,758$601,900$281 pricier homes ($35K more)
Oviedo, FL 32765 83%517$102,167$447,900$246 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Pembroke Pines, FL 33028 83%688$119,091$581,400$335 smaller · older residents
Birmingham, AL 35244 83%473$113,450$412,000$176 cheaper homes ($155K less)
Nashville, TN 37221 83%440$97,751$463,900$247 cheaper homes ($103K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Cincinnati, OH 45249 83%368$105,804$495,000$214 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller
Verona, WI 53593 83%741$135,023$483,700$266 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80228 83%1,441$113,977$641,300$291 pricier homes ($74K more) · older homes

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.