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 80528

Fort Collins: median income $130,350, home value $705,000, $246/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Apex, NC 27523 95%1,454$135,625$659,300$252 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Verona, WI 53593 93%814$135,023$483,700$266 cheaper homes ($221K less)
New Albany, OH 43054 92%1,167$148,100$510,600$234 cheaper homes ($194K less)
Draper, UT 84020 89%361$128,910$784,800$253 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Henrico, VA 23233 87%1,491$125,665$479,000$248 cheaper homes ($226K less) · older homes
Chapel Hill, NC 27517 87%1,441$128,683$608,100$284 cheaper homes ($97K less) · older residents
Windermere, FL 34786 87%1,565$134,214$684,400$308 larger · 6 min longer commute
Saint Paul, MN 55129 87%684$143,795$534,900$199 cheaper homes ($170K less)
Allen, TX 75013 87%686$146,891$590,700$223 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Coppell, TX 75019 87%683$141,923$559,500$266 cheaper homes ($146K less) · larger
Cary, NC 27513 86%1,455$121,989$519,800$258 cheaper homes ($185K less) · larger · older residents
Raleigh, NC 27613 86%1,457$123,966$520,600$249 cheaper homes ($184K less) · larger · older residents
Fort Mill, SC 29708 86%1,359$132,018$515,200$226 cheaper homes ($190K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Orlando, FL 32836 86%1,569$111,987$677,800$307 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Chandler, AZ 85286 86%625$121,758$601,900$281 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Charlottesville, VA 22911 85%1,426$128,235$454,100$230 cheaper homes ($251K less) · older residents
Raleigh, NC 27614 85%1,459$128,834$577,400$231 cheaper homes ($128K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Dublin, OH 43017 85%1,151$135,922$523,500$226 cheaper homes ($182K less) · larger · older homes
Carmel, IN 46032 85%994$132,085$496,800$218 cheaper homes ($208K less) · larger
Phoenix, AZ 85085 85%607$128,984$669,100$267 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 6 min longer commute
Liberty Lake, WA 99019 85%776$120,053$617,800$267 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Chapel Hill, NC 27516 84%1,436$106,353$567,200$277 cheaper homes ($138K less) · larger
Knoxville, TN 37932 84%1,172$119,703$463,100$223 cheaper homes ($242K less)
Glen Allen, VA 23059 83%1,478$157,897$593,700$238 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger
Apex, NC 27502 83%1,454$143,922$550,900$241 cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger · 5 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.