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 Arvada, CO 80007

Arvada: median income $176,122, home value $872,000, $242/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Austin, TX 78737 93%782$168,920$765,000$270 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Hamel, MN 55340 91%691$178,553$639,100$234 cheaper homes ($233K less) · smaller
Overland Park, KS 66221 88%563$190,000$711,300$208 cheaper homes ($161K less)
Galena, OH 43021 87%1,177$167,941$564,700$220 cheaper homes ($307K less)
Lake Elmo, MN 55042 87%718$154,341$602,100$236 cheaper homes ($270K less)
Flower Mound, TX 75022 87%650$177,357$657,400$258 cheaper homes ($215K less) · older homes
Lenexa, KS 66220 86%560$177,206$590,500$212 cheaper homes ($282K less) · smaller
Overland Park, KS 66224 86%567$188,004$652,300$225 cheaper homes ($220K less) · smaller · older residents
Dripping Springs, TX 78620 86%776$153,477$676,500$239 cheaper homes ($196K less) · 6 min longer commute
Las Vegas, NV 89138 86%610$161,645$745,400$338 cheaper homes ($127K less) · more renters
Windham, NH 03087 85%1,757$189,583$723,300$322 cheaper homes ($149K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Prosper, TX 75078 85%652$196,564$732,300$223 cheaper homes ($140K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
San Antonio, TX 78255 85%794$157,428$531,400$212 cheaper homes ($341K less)
Argyle, TX 76226 84%645$180,982$606,100$206 cheaper homes ($266K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Moseley, VA 23120 83%1,483$158,667$569,300$224 cheaper homes ($303K less) · 7 min longer commute
Novi, MI 48374 83%1,137$182,827$577,700$222 cheaper homes ($294K less) · older homes
Driftwood, TX 78619 83%785$183,393$810,600$339 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Purcellville, VA 20132 82%1,458$181,875$776,300$274 cheaper homes ($96K less) · 9 min longer commute · older homes
Zionsville, IN 46077 82%1,000$177,679$580,600$198 cheaper homes ($291K less) · larger · more renters
Frisco, TX 75036 82%655$151,645$564,500$229 cheaper homes ($308K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Fresno, CA 93730 82%815$155,333$728,100$304 cheaper homes ($144K less) · more renters
New Hill, NC 27562 81%1,456$172,955$614,300$238 cheaper homes ($258K less) · smaller · younger residents
Davidson, NC 28036 81%1,362$156,496$630,900$313 cheaper homes ($241K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Franklin, TN 37069 81%1,029$157,939$815,600$349 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older homes
Plano, TX 75094 81%670$171,476$539,200$193 cheaper homes ($333K less) · 6 min longer commute

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.