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 Centerville, UT 84014

Centerville: median income $123,130, home value $531,200, $254/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethlehem, PA 18020 84%1,897$126,166$370,200$211 cheaper homes ($161K less) · 6 min longer commute
Clive, IA 50325 84%941$132,121$401,100$237 cheaper homes ($130K less) · more renters
Littleton, CO 80122 84%377$128,691$634,400$256 pricier homes ($103K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Mc Farland, WI 53558 83%1,165$107,609$405,300$253 cheaper homes ($126K less) · less walkable
Minneapolis, MN 55447 83%969$133,555$471,000$229 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Vancouver, WA 98685 83%636$130,972$599,200$288 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger
Phoenix, AZ 85048 82%526$122,833$592,100$289 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · more renters
Cincinnati, OH 45242 81%1,454$124,567$447,100$249 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Missoula, MT 59803 81%421$111,925$556,000$283 more renters · less walkable
Gilbert, AZ 85234 81%523$121,102$550,900$291 larger · more renters
Champlin, MN 55316 80%976$116,102$358,700$201 cheaper homes ($173K less) · 5 min longer commute
Wilmington, DE 19810 79%1,902$112,775$440,600$239 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · older residents
Saint Paul, MN 55123 79%983$139,215$461,200$197 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · less walkable
San Antonio, TX 78248 79%1,084$130,552$479,500$207 cheaper homes ($52K less) · more renters
Arvada, CO 80005 79%364$136,821$649,800$255 pricier homes ($119K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Anchorage, AK 99515 79%2,112$113,995$427,500$269 cheaper homes ($104K less) · more apartments and townhomes · less walkable
Unionville, CT 06085 78%2,006$141,023$413,600$263 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Middlebury, CT 06762 78%1,998$133,487$476,400$253 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Stillwater, MN 55082 78%1,001$115,040$474,400$232 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · older residents
Minnetonka, MN 55345 78%968$145,332$504,000$227 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents · less walkable
Byron, MN 55920 78%1,002$131,336$372,600$193 cheaper homes ($159K less) · smaller · less walkable
Hurst, TX 76054 78%983$109,881$377,800$214 cheaper homes ($153K less) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Boise, ID 83713 78%295$91,295$454,100$273 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger
Gilbert, AZ 85233 78%525$111,160$513,000$290 larger · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Beaverton, OR 97007 78%635$123,533$608,800$288 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · 7 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.