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 Austin, TX 78703

Austin: median income $153,036, home value $1,495,800, $565/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bellevue, WA 98005 84%1,761$160,849$1,519,500$613 Very close on everything we compare
Denver, CO 80209 82%767$125,733$1,018,300$513 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($478K less) · 6 min longer commute
Boulder, CO 80304 81%795$126,558$1,210,200$619 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($286K less) · more homeowners
Boulder, CO 80305 80%791$126,107$1,032,900$578 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($463K less) · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90049 80%1,237$170,607$2M+*$991 pricier homes ($504K more) · larger
Kirkland, WA 98033 78%1,765$182,500$1,491,700$742 higher income ($29K more) · larger · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98115 77%1,769$156,142$1,094,600$578 cheaper homes ($401K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Falls Church, VA 22046 76%1,309$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($481K less) · 10 min longer commute
Auburndale, MA 02466 75%1,685$170,089$1,174,000$561 cheaper homes ($322K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
La Jolla, CA 92037 75%1,159$147,230$1,958,700$1,039 pricier homes ($463K more) · larger
Bethesda, MD 20814 74%1,315$150,996$989,600$425 cheaper homes ($506K less) · 10 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Los Angeles, CA 90064 74%1,234$135,383$1,765,300$997 pricier homes ($270K more)
Pasadena, CA 91105 74%1,219$156,791$1,671,000$841 pricier homes ($175K more) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98199 74%1,772$180,789$1,198,700$629 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($297K less) · 8 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20016 72%1,315$178,920$1,216,000$565 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($280K less) · 8 min longer commute
Denver, CO 80210 72%765$127,270$910,200$437 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($586K less) · larger
Seattle, WA 98103 72%1,770$131,154$1,044,100$570 cheaper homes ($452K less) · larger · younger residents
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 71%1,316$194,971$1,294,200$480 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($202K less) · older residents
Redondo Beach, CA 90278 70%1,229$160,236$1,242,700$783 cheaper homes ($253K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Falls Church, VA 22043 69%1,309$145,881$881,600$456 cheaper homes ($614K less) · 7 min longer commute
Redmond, WA 98052 69%1,762$163,460$1,180,600$620 cheaper homes ($315K less) · larger · younger residents
Raleigh, NC 27608 68%1,169$162,188$977,400$454 cheaper homes ($518K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Irvine, CA 92604 68%1,195$133,869$1,058,000$830 cheaper homes ($438K less) · 7 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98112 68%1,767$171,572$1,549,100$681 pricier homes ($53K more) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Needham Heights, MA 02494 67%1,684$179,720$1,107,700$530 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($388K less) · smaller

* 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.