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 78705

Austin: median income $32,380, home value $647,600, $378/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Madison, WI 53703 72%996$47,847$471,800$436 cheaper homes ($176K less) · older homes
Madison, WI 53715 69%995$38,996$450,600$356 cheaper homes ($197K less) · smaller · older homes
Columbus, OH 43201 64%1,066$43,731$440,000$272 cheaper homes ($208K less) · older homes
Minneapolis, MN 55414 61%1,044$51,966$440,500$233 cheaper homes ($207K less)
Gainesville, FL 32601 54%923$30,352$284,300$254 cheaper homes ($363K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
New Haven, CT 06510 47%1,577$58,913$651,800$389 higher income ($27K more) · smaller · older residents
Columbia, SC 29201 44%1,009$32,297$255,800$213 cheaper homes ($392K less)
Berkeley, CA 94704 44%1,492$50,129$906,100$961 pricier homes ($259K more) · 7 min longer commute · older homes
Madison, WI 53726 42%995$47,754$647,300$341 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84102 42%1,072$52,199$548,700$364 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · older residents
Salt Lake City, UT 84111 42%1,072$52,952$440,200$399 cheaper homes ($207K less) · smaller · older residents
Portland, OR 97201 42%1,707$63,250$673,600$303 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Pittsburgh, PA 15213 38%1,219$31,069$233,500$205 cheaper homes ($414K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Provo, UT 84606 38%1,041$52,811$443,600$275 cheaper homes ($204K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Eugene, OR 97401 38%1,678$52,022$494,100$328 cheaper homes ($154K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Des Moines, IA 50309 37%814$56,777$292,500$213 cheaper homes ($355K less) · smaller · older residents
Eugene, OR 97403 37%1,676$45,417$592,200$330 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Nashville, TN 37203 36%751$71,281$549,000$460 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller
Raleigh, NC 27605 35%1,167$71,096$540,000$389 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Columbus, OH 43215 35%1,065$74,087$551,200$287 higher income ($42K more) · cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Washington, DC 20006 34%1,315$35,011$255,200$529 cheaper homes ($392K less) · smaller · older homes
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 34%1,135$64,231$491,200$393 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($156K less) · more homeowners
Birmingham, AL 35233 33%679$60,336$338,600$353 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($309K less) · smaller
Indianapolis, IN 46202 33%926$63,506$439,200$222 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($208K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80246 33%767$67,235$716,400$405 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller

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.