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 78751

Austin: median income $80,915, home value $852,000, $470/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boulder, CO 80303 81%792$78,555$961,900$467 pricier homes ($110K more) · more homeowners
Columbus, OH 43212 79%1,063$77,257$533,700$336 cheaper homes ($318K less) · older homes
Davis, CA 95616 78%1,477$74,359$895,600$470 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · younger residents
Nashville, TN 37212 77%748$95,145$963,800$422 pricier homes ($112K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Charleston, SC 29403 75%1,059$66,944$674,000$586 cheaper homes ($178K less) · older homes
Portland, OR 97232 75%1,705$70,895$781,200$326 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 5 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98122 74%1,767$106,886$957,100$551 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($105K more) · larger
Raleigh, NC 27605 72%1,165$71,096$540,000$389 cheaper homes ($312K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Denver, CO 80246 72%766$67,235$716,400$405 cheaper homes ($136K less) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Salt Lake City, UT 84103 72%1,073$83,916$779,200$375 cheaper homes ($73K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Seattle, WA 98105 72%1,769$74,349$1,312,100$578 pricier homes ($460K more) · larger · younger residents
Boulder, CO 80302 71%794$61,698$1,190,800$604 pricier homes ($339K more) · larger · younger residents
Phoenix, AZ 85012 71%869$86,620$735,000$370 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller · older residents
Portland, OR 97201 70%1,707$63,250$673,600$303 cheaper homes ($178K less) · more apartments and townhomes
San Diego, CA 92122 69%1,159$105,177$1,046,300$742 pricier homes ($194K more) · larger · less walkable
Charlotte, NC 28203 68%1,035$104,696$707,800$459 cheaper homes ($144K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Charlotte, NC 28209 68%1,035$101,873$623,000$446 cheaper homes ($229K less) · more homeowners
Denver, CO 80218 68%769$81,706$676,700$398 cheaper homes ($175K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Irvine, CA 92617 68%1,199$91,529$693,700— cheaper homes ($158K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Sacramento, CA 95811 68%1,464$80,827$761,000$400 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Raleigh, NC 27607 67%1,164$96,775$707,800$339 cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger · younger residents
Denver, CO 80205 67%770$104,836$649,300$391 cheaper homes ($203K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Denver, CO 80206 67%768$101,594$915,400$427 pricier homes ($63K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Tampa, FL 33606 66%935$120,729$845,600$551 higher income ($40K more) · more homeowners
Sacramento, CA 95816 66%1,463$90,839$839,700$504 older residents · 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.