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 Charlotte, NC 28207

Charlotte: median income $217,204, home value $1,409,300, $595/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dallas, TX 75225 83%927$200,234$1,671,900$496 pricier homes ($263K more) · larger · newer homes
Needham Heights, MA 02494 80%712$179,720$1,107,700$530 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($302K less) · 6 min longer commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 79%709$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($57K less) · 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Bethesda, MD 20816 79%331$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($192K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Lexington, MA 02421 77%719$227,813$1,205,700$558 cheaper homes ($204K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Mercer Island, WA 98040 77%2,278$219,069$2M+*$799 pricier homes ($591K more) · larger · more renters
Vienna, VA 22181 75%322$211,911$998,300$402 cheaper homes ($411K less) · larger · younger residents
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 74%333$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Lexington, MA 02420 73%720$245,031$1,200,300$550 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($209K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22207 73%328$245,745$1,257,900$511 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($151K less) · larger
Atlanta, GA 30327 73%224$189,250$1,136,500$399 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($273K less) · larger
Newton Center, MA 02459 72%716$227,594$1,450,900$586 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 72%2,276$186,225$1,339,900$665 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Mc Lean, VA 22101 71%328$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($41K more) · larger
Arlington, VA 22213 71%326$199,306$1,064,500$507 cheaper homes ($345K less) · smaller · younger residents
Winchester, MA 01890 69%722$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($194K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Tampa, FL 33629 69%512$164,355$851,400$493 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($558K less) · larger
Saint Louis, MO 63124 69%578$193,942$988,600$376 cheaper homes ($421K less) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Del Mar, CA 92014 69%2,078$198,823$2M+*$1,248 pricier homes ($591K more) · older residents
Bellevue, WA 98008 69%2,273$184,583$1,206,200$671 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($203K less) · larger
Newton Highlands, MA 02461 68%714$224,000$1,255,400$684 cheaper homes ($154K less) · 8 min longer commute · older homes
Washington, DC 20015 68%333$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger
Bethesda, MD 20817 68%331$249,332$1,183,600$422 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($226K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22205 68%326$201,094$1,092,800$542 cheaper homes ($317K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Winnetka, IL 60093 67%606$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($232K less) · larger

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.