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 Knoxville, TN 37902

Knoxville: median income $50,161, home value $687,500, $579/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rochester, NY 14604 81%600$52,105$784,700— pricier homes ($97K more) · more renters · older homes
Portland, OR 97205 74%2,111$57,288$637,100$387 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · older residents
Buffalo, NY 14202 71%549$56,528$479,100$288 cheaper homes ($208K less) · larger · older residents
Richmond, VA 23219 71%375$57,507$380,700$361 cheaper homes ($307K less) · larger · older homes
Providence, RI 02903 66%784$64,476$408,900$475 cheaper homes ($279K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
New Haven, CT 06510 65%698$58,913$651,800$389 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Detroit, MI 48226 65%443$64,860$324,500$492 cheaper homes ($363K less) · larger · more renters
Salt Lake City, UT 84102 65%1,543$52,199$548,700$364 cheaper homes ($139K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Wichita, KS 67202 64%751$58,234$407,100$275 cheaper homes ($280K less) · more renters
Portland, ME 04101 63%897$63,880$617,600$568 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · older homes
Omaha, NE 68102 62%744$64,111$389,400$329 cheaper homes ($298K less) · larger
Tacoma, WA 98402 61%2,112$60,505$531,300$438 cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Denver, CO 80246 60%1,172$67,235$716,400$405 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Salt Lake City, UT 84111 59%1,544$52,952$440,200$399 cheaper homes ($247K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Sacramento, CA 95811 59%2,059$80,827$761,000$400 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($74K more) · larger
Sacramento, CA 95814 57%2,059$58,284$633,200$355 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · older residents
Tucson, AZ 85701 55%1,564$51,794$492,100$338 cheaper homes ($195K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Burbank, CA 91502 55%1,938$52,473$879,200$703 pricier homes ($192K more) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Phoenix, AZ 85003 54%1,603$60,461$616,800$389 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · older residents
Raleigh, NC 27605 53%295$71,096$540,000$389 cheaper homes ($148K less) · larger · newer homes
Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120 52%815$64,289$885,900$485 pricier homes ($198K more) · larger · younger residents
San Antonio, TX 78205 52%959$38,964$604,600$518 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · older residents
Portland, OR 97232 52%2,108$70,895$781,200$326 pricier homes ($94K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Charleston, SC 29403 51%315$66,944$674,000$586 larger · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Berkeley, CA 94704 51%2,107$50,129$906,100$961 pricier homes ($219K more) · larger · younger residents

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.