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 Fort Collins, CO 80521

Fort Collins: median income $58,082, home value $564,900, $378/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Charlottesville, VA 22903 88%1,428$69,340$526,200$304 cheaper homes ($39K less) · older residents
Eugene, OR 97403 87%946$45,417$592,200$330 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Corvallis, OR 97333 86%962$65,191$511,100$351 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller · older residents
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 83%516$64,626$589,100$399 newer homes
Amherst, MA 01002 82%1,684$70,818$481,100$314 cheaper homes ($84K less)
State College, PA 16801 81%1,422$61,836$414,600$228 cheaper homes ($150K less) · older residents
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 81%1,111$64,231$491,200$393 cheaper homes ($74K less) · older homes
Provo, UT 84604 81%345$75,571$582,000$250 Very close on everything we compare
Arcata, CA 95521 81%992$53,114$501,000$340 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · older residents
Blacksburg, VA 24060 80%1,341$67,675$447,600$237 cheaper homes ($117K less)
Missoula, MT 59801 77%621$58,347$442,400$345 cheaper homes ($123K less) · older residents
Kingston, RI 02881 76%1,740$56,472$575,000$369 smaller
Wilmington, NC 28403 76%1,550$54,547$386,700$277 cheaper homes ($178K less) · older residents
Davis, CA 95616 76%896$74,359$895,600$470 pricier homes ($331K more)
Boise, ID 83706 75%605$82,893$537,700$364 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Eugene, OR 97401 75%947$52,022$494,100$328 cheaper homes ($71K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Bellingham, WA 98225 75%1,020$63,941$631,200$458 pricier homes ($66K more) · older residents · less walkable
Clemson, SC 29631 74%1,281$48,800$400,400$214 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller
Birmingham, AL 35209 73%1,120$71,439$504,600$311 cheaper homes ($60K less) · older residents
San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 73%923$60,399$949,700$626 pricier homes ($385K more) · smaller · less walkable
Chico, CA 95926 73%884$61,920$473,600$286 cheaper homes ($91K less) · less walkable
Charleston, SC 29403 72%1,487$66,944$674,000$586 pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller · older residents
Carrboro, NC 27510 71%1,442$61,837$449,700$282 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · older residents
Durham, NC 27701 71%1,450$69,740$508,900$346 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · older residents
Provo, UT 84606 71%345$52,811$443,600$275 cheaper homes ($121K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes

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.