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 Cary, NC 27519

Cary: median income $165,586, home value $670,900, $267/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Alpharetta, GA 30004 92%328$156,100$657,700$249 Very close on everything we compare
Alpharetta, GA 30005 91%325$176,957$636,300$236 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Glen Allen, VA 23059 89%152$157,897$593,700$238 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55446 87%996$170,625$583,500$210 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Allen, TX 75013 87%1,029$146,891$590,700$223 cheaper homes ($80K less) · 5 min longer commute
Coppell, TX 75019 87%1,049$141,923$559,500$266 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · older homes
Carmel, IN 46032 86%488$132,085$496,800$218 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($174K less)
New Albany, OH 43054 85%364$148,100$510,600$234 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Saint Paul, MN 55129 85%967$143,795$534,900$199 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller
Lewis Center, OH 43035 84%376$154,683$456,400$210 cheaper homes ($215K less) · smaller
Verona, WI 53593 83%755$135,023$483,700$266 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($187K less) · smaller
Portland, OR 97229 83%2,366$161,570$782,100$309 pricier homes ($111K more) · more walkable
Leesburg, VA 20175 82%234$174,854$780,600$285 pricier homes ($110K more) · smaller · older homes
Broomfield, CO 80023 82%1,448$158,180$869,000$262 pricier homes ($198K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Fort Collins, CO 80528 82%1,450$130,350$705,000$246 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Plano, TX 75025 81%1,032$143,260$486,100$206 cheaper homes ($185K less) · older homes
Austin, TX 78738 81%1,166$183,048$916,300$294 pricier homes ($245K more) · smaller · older residents
Littleton, CO 80129 81%1,446$141,667$663,800$266 smaller
Alpharetta, GA 30022 80%327$153,294$635,300$238 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Austin, TX 78732 80%1,161$192,500$853,900$276 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($183K more) · smaller
Colorado Springs, CO 80924 80%1,430$139,447$656,800$207 lower income ($26K less) · smaller
Windermere, FL 34786 79%528$134,214$684,400$308 lower income ($31K less) · smaller
Dublin, OH 43017 79%376$135,922$523,500$226 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($147K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78717 79%1,149$145,325$652,200$230 smaller · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Denver, CO 80238 79%1,446$180,940$832,200$295 pricier homes ($161K more) · smaller · more walkable

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.