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 30022

Alpharetta: median income $153,294, home value $635,300, $238/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glen Allen, VA 23059 92%453$157,897$593,700$238 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Midlothian, VA 23113 92%441$142,344$614,100$235 smaller
Charlotte, NC 28270 92%212$131,667$589,500$271 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Spring, TX 77382 92%710$162,384$566,500$222 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Naperville, IL 60540 91%575$157,102$550,600$292 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Powell, OH 43065 90%430$154,481$482,200$215 cheaper homes ($153K less)
Plano, TX 75025 90%722$143,260$486,100$206 cheaper homes ($149K less)
Downingtown, PA 19335 89%626$143,249$494,100$234 cheaper homes ($141K less)
Ellicott City, MD 21042 89%546$190,061$706,400$274 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($71K more)
Apex, NC 27502 89%328$143,922$550,900$241 cheaper homes ($84K less) · younger residents
Flower Mound, TX 75028 89%742$149,436$488,700$233 cheaper homes ($147K less)
Littleton, CO 80126 89%1,205$169,882$782,000$267 pricier homes ($147K more)
Littleton, CO 80127 89%1,215$137,040$693,200$267 pricier homes ($58K more)
Littleton, CO 80130 89%1,203$158,741$691,800$235 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Wexford, PA 15090 88%509$160,576$476,400$243 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller
Barrington, IL 60010 88%600$177,566$638,100$255 older homes
Naperville, IL 60565 88%573$164,447$519,900$267 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Coppell, TX 75019 88%737$141,923$559,500$266 cheaper homes ($76K less) · more renters
Spring, TX 77381 88%710$143,565$473,600$231 cheaper homes ($162K less) · smaller
Parker, CO 80134 88%1,198$146,778$677,700$225 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Colorado Springs, CO 80921 88%1,191$141,659$683,400$210 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Collierville, TN 38017 87%317$138,677$495,200$180 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Geneva, IL 60134 87%586$152,727$448,900$249 cheaper homes ($186K less) · smaller
Flower Mound, TX 75022 87%744$177,357$657,400$258 smaller
Frisco, TX 75035 87%722$166,590$608,900$222 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents · newer 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.