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 Alpharetta, GA 30004

Alpharetta: median income $156,100, home value $657,700, $249/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glen Allen, VA 23059 96%453$157,897$593,700$238 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Apex, NC 27502 94%329$143,922$550,900$241 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Allen, TX 75013 93%715$146,891$590,700$223 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Cary, NC 27519 92%328$165,586$670,900$267 Very close on everything we compare
Parker, CO 80134 91%1,193$146,778$677,700$225 Very close on everything we compare
Charlotte, NC 28270 90%213$131,667$589,500$271 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Coppell, TX 75019 90%734$141,923$559,500$266 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller
Plano, TX 75025 90%718$143,260$486,100$206 cheaper homes ($172K less)
Frisco, TX 75033 90%725$174,762$652,100$228 Very close on everything we compare
Aurora, CO 80016 90%1,189$150,492$761,700$200 pricier homes ($104K more)
Broomfield, CO 80023 90%1,208$158,180$869,000$262 pricier homes ($211K more) · smaller
Fort Mill, SC 29708 89%199$132,018$515,200$226 cheaper homes ($143K less) · smaller
Carmel, IN 46032 89%417$132,085$496,800$218 cheaper homes ($161K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55129 89%874$143,795$534,900$199 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller
Frisco, TX 75035 89%719$166,590$608,900$222 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more single-family homes
Apex, NC 27523 88%329$135,625$659,300$252 smaller
Windermere, FL 34786 88%421$134,214$684,400$308 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55446 88%898$170,625$583,500$210 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Spring, TX 77382 88%709$162,384$566,500$222 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Littleton, CO 80129 88%1,202$141,667$663,800$266 smaller
Littleton, CO 80130 88%1,197$158,741$691,800$235 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Portland, OR 97229 88%2,167$161,570$782,100$309 pricier homes ($124K more) · more walkable
Leesburg, VA 20175 87%504$174,854$780,600$285 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller
Raleigh, NC 27614 87%344$128,834$577,400$231 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Davidson, NC 28036 87%220$156,496$630,900$313 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller

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.