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 75234

Dallas: median income $86,733, home value $351,600, $247/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tempe, AZ 85283 94%870$84,568$442,800$298 pricier homes ($91K more)
Waukesha, WI 53186 92%840$74,588$301,100$224 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Madison, WI 53704 92%815$74,034$318,400$265 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Tempe, AZ 85282 92%869$79,036$412,000$279 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Newport News, VA 23606 91%1,187$72,874$327,200$205 Very close on everything we compare
Overland Park, KS 66212 91%435$81,477$304,800$212 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Richland, WA 99354 91%1,501$91,933$392,600$221 pricier homes ($41K more)
Buffalo, NY 14228 90%1,205$74,871$274,600$225 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Durham, NC 27707 90%1,043$74,406$407,800$249 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Lenexa, KS 66215 90%434$88,232$338,800$189 Very close on everything we compare
Colorado Springs, CO 80907 90%604$74,402$414,900$260 pricier homes ($63K more)
Sacramento, CA 95826 90%1,422$82,127$463,300$320 pricier homes ($112K more)
Virginia Beach, VA 23455 89%1,205$94,069$418,000$247 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · older residents
Mission, KS 66202 89%440$75,129$284,900$229 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Overland Park, KS 66214 89%435$83,435$340,900$194 smaller
Mesa, AZ 85202 89%866$71,619$370,900$255 Very close on everything we compare
Westbrook, ME 04092 88%1,610$85,038$383,300$331 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Manchester, CT 06042 88%1,465$91,892$237,400$224 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Groton, CT 06340 88%1,480$81,792$294,700$265 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Hamden, CT 06518 88%1,439$106,692$325,300$212 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Atlanta, GA 30341 88%730$86,313$463,100$287 pricier homes ($112K more)
Atlanta, GA 30360 88%731$97,543$425,700$227 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller
Birmingham, AL 35216 88%585$74,525$398,200$192 pricier homes ($47K more)
Longmont, CO 80501 88%677$80,911$488,800$270 pricier homes ($137K more) · older residents
Chandler, AZ 85224 88%866$94,516$438,700$298 pricier homes ($87K 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.