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 Dallas, TX 75225

Dallas: median income $200,234, home value $1,671,900, $496/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Atlanta, GA 30327 85%717$189,250$1,136,500$399 cheaper homes ($535K less) · less walkable
Charlotte, NC 28207 83%927$217,204$1,409,300$595 cheaper homes ($263K less) · smaller · older homes
Mercer Island, WA 98040 79%1,670$219,069$2M+*$799 pricier homes ($328K more) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Nashville, TN 37215 75%610$155,863$1,046,500$413 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($625K less) · less walkable
Kirkland, WA 98033 75%1,672$182,500$1,491,700$742 cheaper homes ($180K less) · larger · younger residents
Lake Oswego, OR 97034 74%1,625$149,236$1,047,500$444 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($624K less) · older homes
Vienna, VA 22182 73%1,168$205,108$1,125,900$390 cheaper homes ($546K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Raleigh, NC 27608 73%1,053$162,188$977,400$454 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($695K less) · smaller
Mc Lean, VA 22101 71%1,173$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 higher income ($50K more) · cheaper homes ($222K less) · 9 min longer commute
Vienna, VA 22181 71%1,166$211,911$998,300$402 cheaper homes ($674K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Incline Village, NV 89451 71%1,362$166,509$1,461,200$763 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · smaller
San Diego, CA 92131 71%1,176$185,256$1,189,100$659 cheaper homes ($483K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Woodinville, WA 98072 70%1,673$175,805$1,122,200$544 cheaper homes ($550K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Needham Heights, MA 02494 69%1,536$179,720$1,107,700$530 cheaper homes ($564K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Wayzata, MN 55391 69%855$174,301$923,400$340 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($749K less) · less walkable
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 69%1,459$186,225$1,339,900$665 cheaper homes ($332K less) · 11 min longer commute · older homes
Bellevue, WA 98006 69%1,667$198,150$1,388,500$592 cheaper homes ($283K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Tampa, FL 33629 68%916$164,355$851,400$493 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($821K less) · younger residents
Paradise Valley, AZ 85253 68%877$184,979$2M+*$847 pricier homes ($328K more) · less walkable
Boulder, CO 80304 67%684$126,558$1,210,200$619 lower income ($74K less) · cheaper homes ($462K less)
Carlsbad, CA 92011 67%1,186$159,235$1,302,600$770 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($369K less) · 6 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98008 67%1,667$184,583$1,206,200$671 cheaper homes ($466K less) · older homes
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 66%1,178$194,971$1,294,200$480 cheaper homes ($378K less) · 9 min longer commute · older homes
Lexington, MA 02421 65%1,539$227,813$1,205,700$558 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($466K less) · 13 min longer commute
Louisville, CO 80027 65%676$154,232$890,200$358 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($782K less) · larger

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.