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 Duluth, MN 55802

Duluth: median income $51,544, home value $494,400, $439/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lexington, KY 40507 70%716$41,329$328,600$323 cheaper homes ($166K less) · more apartments and townhomes · more walkable
Jacksonville, FL 32204 67%1,265$65,063$375,000$246 cheaper homes ($119K less) · larger · younger residents
Asheville, NC 28801 65%916$58,438$548,100$411 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · younger residents
New Orleans, LA 70116 63%1,166$52,306$386,500$275 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger · younger residents
Dallas, TX 75246 58%997$53,555$447,800$256 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Phoenix, AZ 85003 57%1,394$60,461$616,800$389 pricier homes ($122K more) · larger · younger residents
Mobile, AL 36602 56%1,132$41,420$316,400$211 cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Vancouver, WA 98660 55%1,456$67,344$469,600$329 larger · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Buffalo, NY 14202 53%700$56,528$479,100$288 larger · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Reno, NV 89501 53%1,475$33,963$414,000$352 cheaper homes ($80K less) · 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Tucson, AZ 85701 52%1,416$51,794$492,100$338 larger · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Saint Petersburg, FL 33701 51%1,409$73,542$637,700$514 pricier homes ($143K more) · larger · younger residents
Portland, OR 97205 50%1,458$57,288$637,100$387 pricier homes ($143K more) · larger · younger residents
Newport, OR 97365 48%1,538$64,363$441,700$344 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · more homeowners
East Providence, RI 02914 47%1,077$61,191$359,400$302 cheaper homes ($135K less) · larger · younger residents
Somers Point, NJ 08244 47%1,019$70,255$310,400$365 cheaper homes ($184K less) · larger · younger residents
Ventnor City, NJ 08406 47%1,023$69,099$363,000$448 cheaper homes ($131K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Norfolk, VA 23517 47%1,059$67,375$386,600$214 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger · younger residents
Saint Francis, WI 53235 47%334$57,368$234,500$237 cheaper homes ($260K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Honolulu, HI 96826 47%4,022$68,296$507,200$547 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Birmingham, AL 35203 46%956$47,434$334,000$274 cheaper homes ($160K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Buffalo, NY 14209 45%699$50,046$429,400$157 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · younger residents
Wilmington, NC 28401 45%1,138$57,968$298,500$270 cheaper homes ($196K less) · larger · younger residents
Sacramento, CA 95817 45%1,585$64,212$543,900$457 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger · younger residents
Hyannis, MA 02601 44%1,131$61,143$440,100$406 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 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.