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.

Reset

Towns most like Fort Collins, CO 80525

Fort Collins: median income $91,636, home value $588,400, $265/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Middleton, WI 53562 93%819$101,381$532,200$270 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Charlottesville, VA 22901 92%1,421$92,145$501,700$272 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Raleigh, NC 27612 91%1,462$95,988$529,000$261 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Charlotte, NC 28210 90%1,367$100,824$531,700$315 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Olympia, WA 98501 90%992$97,198$529,300$299 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Olympia, WA 98502 90%1,002$92,207$537,200$326 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Charlottesville, VA 22902 89%1,426$93,463$436,200$290 cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller
Asheville, NC 28803 89%1,270$76,662$452,900$306 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller
Dallas, TX 75248 89%694$100,414$576,100$254 older homes
Tualatin, OR 97062 89%953$105,407$640,300$293 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Madison, WI 53711 88%821$100,735$424,600$260 cheaper homes ($164K less) · older homes
Jacksonville, FL 32224 87%1,499$88,259$458,100$265 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Tampa, FL 33611 87%1,549$90,910$479,800$368 cheaper homes ($109K less) · 5 min longer commute
Bozeman, MT 59718 87%472$99,123$646,400$353 pricier homes ($58K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Scottsdale, AZ 85260 87%609$97,177$698,200$400 pricier homes ($110K more) · older residents
Fresno, CA 93720 87%832$105,050$477,800$275 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Portland, OR 97223 87%955$106,757$600,300$312 Very close on everything we compare
Ann Arbor, MI 48108 86%1,110$89,355$406,700$234 cheaper homes ($182K less) · smaller
Grapevine, TX 76051 86%686$111,160$489,400$258 cheaper homes ($99K less) · less walkable
Austin, TX 78745 86%822$86,109$504,800$291 cheaper homes ($84K less) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Phoenix, AZ 85044 86%628$96,820$474,800$281 cheaper homes ($114K less) · 5 min longer commute
Richland, WA 99352 86%815$100,108$474,100$263 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Cary, NC 27513 85%1,458$121,989$519,800$258 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($69K less)
Nashville, TN 37209 85%1,029$81,423$529,800$333 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Knoxville, TN 37919 85%1,183$72,645$526,800$258 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · 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.