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.

Reset

Towns most like Marietta, GA 30062

Marietta: median income $132,631, home value $491,200, $220/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Spring, TX 77381 95%698$143,565$473,600$231 smaller
Sykesville, MD 21784 91%560$139,395$491,800$256 smaller
Midlothian, VA 23112 91%449$116,465$398,400$225 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Collierville, TN 38017 91%306$138,677$495,200$180 newer homes
Flower Mound, TX 75028 91%729$149,436$488,700$233 Very close on everything we compare
Tallahassee, FL 32312 90%241$123,032$432,100$228 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Allen, TX 75002 90%704$137,037$447,800$218 cheaper homes ($43K less) · newer homes
Friendswood, TX 77546 90%701$123,756$380,700$184 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Birmingham, AL 35226 89%143$124,516$411,000$193 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Loveland, OH 45140 89%362$114,827$360,300$207 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Lewisville, TX 75077 89%728$127,211$464,000$219 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Sugar Land, TX 77479 89%722$156,735$478,300$182 newer homes
Powell, OH 43065 88%434$154,481$482,200$215 newer homes
Avon Lake, OH 44012 88%535$115,567$368,300$213 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller
Ballwin, MO 63011 88%465$124,454$400,900$188 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Round Rock, TX 78681 88%808$137,819$497,300$223 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Arvada, CO 80005 88%1,206$136,821$649,800$255 pricier homes ($159K more) · smaller
Littleton, CO 80127 88%1,204$137,040$693,200$267 pricier homes ($202K more)
Cheshire, CT 06410 87%816$145,179$438,900$262 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · older homes
Downingtown, PA 19335 87%636$143,249$494,100$234 more apartments and townhomes
Wake Forest, NC 27587 87%362$133,743$497,800$203 newer homes
Matthews, NC 28104 87%227$138,017$533,500$253 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · newer homes
South Lyon, MI 48178 87%586$131,558$410,500$203 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Geneva, IL 60134 87%583$152,727$448,900$249 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Batavia, IL 60510 87%581$121,622$392,200$237 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.