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 Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Ann Arbor: median income $64,231, home value $491,200, $393/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Amherst, MA 01002 81%575$70,818$481,100$314 smaller · less walkable
Columbus, OH 43212 81%162$77,257$533,700$336 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · older residents
Fort Collins, CO 80521 81%1,111$58,082$564,900$378 pricier homes ($74K more) · newer homes
Charlottesville, VA 22903 78%402$69,340$526,200$304 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents · newer homes
Davis, CA 95616 78%1,999$74,359$895,600$470 pricier homes ($404K more) · newer homes
Kingston, RI 02881 75%629$56,472$575,000$369 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller
State College, PA 16801 74%321$61,836$414,600$228 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older residents · newer homes
Burlington, VT 05401 73%549$65,657$492,100$360 older homes
Charleston, SC 29403 72%686$66,944$674,000$586 pricier homes ($183K more) · smaller · older residents
Boulder, CO 80303 70%1,127$78,555$961,900$467 pricier homes ($471K more) · smaller · older residents
Indianapolis, IN 46202 69%213$63,506$439,200$222 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · older residents
Pittsburgh, PA 15232 68%233$66,582$553,700$292 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller · older residents
Richmond, VA 23220 68%465$61,381$473,100$318 older residents · older homes
Chapel Hill, NC 27514 68%505$92,875$663,900$299 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($173K more) · newer homes
Nashville, TN 37212 67%455$95,145$963,800$422 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($473K more) · smaller
Madison, WI 53705 67%296$88,549$475,400$340 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Boulder, CO 80302 67%1,129$61,698$1,190,800$604 pricier homes ($700K more)
Milwaukee, WI 53211 66%219$75,256$434,500$282 cheaper homes ($57K less) · older residents · older homes
Madison, WI 53726 66%295$47,754$647,300$341 pricier homes ($156K more) · smaller
Blacksburg, VA 24060 64%388$67,675$447,600$237 cheaper homes ($44K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Columbus, OH 43202 64%160$69,524$341,400$264 cheaper homes ($150K less) · smaller · older residents
Missoula, MT 59801 64%1,515$58,347$442,400$345 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Austin, TX 78751 64%1,133$80,915$852,000$470 pricier homes ($361K more) · smaller · older residents
Eugene, OR 97403 64%1,967$45,417$592,200$330 pricier homes ($101K more) · smaller
Salt Lake City, UT 84102 63%1,453$52,199$548,700$364 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller · older 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.