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.

Reset

Towns most like Austin, TX 78739

Austin: median income $238,559, home value $808,600, $292/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clarksville, MD 21029 93%1,338$243,542$912,100$285 pricier homes ($104K more) · smaller
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 85%1,309$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 pricier homes ($213K more) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Chesterfield, MO 63005 83%716$198,469$701,600$219 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($107K less)
Windham, NH 03087 79%1,704$189,583$723,300$322 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($85K less)
Clifton, VA 20124 78%1,306$221,060$884,800$300 pricier homes ($76K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Great Falls, VA 22066 78%1,315$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($502K more) · older homes
Overland Park, KS 66221 78%627$190,000$711,300$208 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($97K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Arvada, CO 80007 78%786$176,122$872,000$242 lower income ($62K less) · pricier homes ($63K more)
Chester, NJ 07930 77%1,491$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · older homes
Glenwood, MD 21738 77%1,337$250,000+*$914,300$268 pricier homes ($106K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Littleton, CO 80125 77%761$179,983$762,200$231 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less)
Bolton, MA 01740 75%1,680$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($33K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Chester Springs, PA 19425 75%1,426$211,739$656,700$220 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($152K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Groton, MA 01450 74%1,687$193,292$743,400$325 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Glenelg, MD 21737 74%1,336$250,000+*$996,400$243 pricier homes ($188K more) · smaller
Ada, MI 49301 74%1,117$183,125$548,800$273 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($260K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Overland Park, KS 66224 74%628$188,004$652,300$225 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller
Southborough, MA 01772 73%1,680$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Warren, NJ 07059 73%1,495$212,479$921,500$440 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($113K more) · older homes
Chesterfield, NJ 08515 73%1,476$208,836$560,000$253 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($249K less) · smaller
Franklin, TN 37069 73%750$157,939$815,600$349 lower income ($81K less)
Novi, MI 48374 73%1,163$182,827$577,700$222 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($231K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Belle Mead, NJ 08502 72%1,483$227,242$816,700$384 smaller · 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Highland, MD 20777 72%1,337$226,146$861,900$282 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · older homes
Marriottsville, MD 21104 72%1,343$191,804$680,200$243 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($128K 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.