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 78738

Austin: median income $183,048, home value $916,300, $294/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Broomfield, CO 80023 92%774$158,180$869,000$262 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Castle Rock, CO 80108 91%740$181,049$881,700$227 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Brentwood, TN 37027 87%756$154,578$931,700$346 lower income ($28K less) · larger · older homes
Littleton, CO 80126 86%749$169,882$782,000$267 cheaper homes ($134K less) · older homes
Davidson, NC 28036 85%1,057$156,496$630,900$313 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($285K less)
Overland Park, KS 66221 85%618$190,000$711,300$208 cheaper homes ($205K less)
Glen Allen, VA 23059 84%1,273$157,897$593,700$238 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($323K less)
Erie, CO 80516 84%781$168,725$726,700$241 cheaper homes ($190K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Alpharetta, GA 30005 83%844$176,957$636,300$236 cheaper homes ($280K less) · older homes
Littleton, CO 80130 83%747$158,741$691,800$235 cheaper homes ($225K less) · older homes
Alpharetta, GA 30004 82%840$156,100$657,700$249 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($259K less) · larger
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33327 82%1,107$159,388$724,500$412 cheaper homes ($192K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Franklin, TN 37069 82%749$157,939$815,600$349 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller
Las Vegas, NV 89138 82%1,080$161,645$745,400$338 cheaper homes ($171K less)
Cary, NC 27519 81%1,166$165,586$670,900$267 cheaper homes ($245K less) · larger · younger residents
Ponte Vedra, FL 32081 81%988$131,624$642,500$295 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($274K less)
Zionsville, IN 46077 81%936$177,679$580,600$198 cheaper homes ($336K less)
Arvada, CO 80007 81%773$176,122$872,000$242 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Timnath, CO 80547 81%807$180,492$742,300$244 cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller · younger residents
Alpharetta, GA 30022 80%842$153,294$635,300$238 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($281K less) · larger
Pompano Beach, FL 33076 80%1,111$176,641$832,000$351 cheaper homes ($84K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Northville, MI 48168 80%1,157$187,589$582,600$224 cheaper homes ($334K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Colorado Springs, CO 80921 80%716$141,659$683,400$210 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($233K less)
Ellicott City, MD 21042 79%1,343$190,061$706,400$274 cheaper homes ($210K less) · older homes
Golden, CO 80403 79%774$151,276$838,000$344 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($78K less) · older homes

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.