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 Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Salt Lake City: median income $61,425, home value $359,600, $309/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
North Charleston, SC 29405 88%1,838$56,600$307,800$284 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
The Dalles, OR 97058 87%574$62,181$370,100$252 older residents · less walkable
Springfield, OR 97477 87%610$65,662$373,000$279 larger · older residents
Tampa, FL 33604 86%1,884$58,766$311,900$275 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Las Vegas, NV 89107 86%363$59,571$330,500$239 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Clearwater, FL 33755 85%1,869$62,886$328,700$264 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Boise, ID 83705 85%294$64,731$415,900$312 pricier homes ($56K more)
Medford, OR 97501 85%577$63,977$353,800$260 larger · newer homes
La Grande, OR 97850 85%443$63,421$298,100$225 cheaper homes ($62K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Colorado Springs, CO 80909 84%402$64,035$386,200$192 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Phoenix, AZ 85007 84%504$63,616$480,600$340 pricier homes ($121K more) · smaller · more renters
Fresno, CA 93704 84%504$73,234$401,600$252 pricier homes ($42K more)
Westminster, CO 80030 83%368$61,092$439,400$268 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Spokane, WA 99207 83%550$60,452$274,100$185 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Spokane, WA 99212 83%547$67,049$361,500$211 older residents
Chesapeake, VA 23325 82%1,928$69,909$272,000$235 cheaper homes ($88K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80219 82%371$68,415$454,600$344 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Colorado Springs, CO 80905 82%399$63,281$379,000$264 more renters
Fresno, CA 93705 82%506$57,003$305,000$254 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Klamath Falls, OR 97601 82%522$51,780$295,300$216 cheaper homes ($64K less) · older residents
Springfield, MA 01119 81%2,026$57,857$245,100$251 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Richmond, VA 23222 81%1,849$61,345$274,800$218 cheaper homes ($85K less) · 7 min longer commute
Saint Petersburg, FL 33712 81%1,885$60,450$326,000$269 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Merced, CA 95340 81%516$71,193$399,100$247 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Modesto, CA 95354 81%530$72,879$389,600$305 pricier homes ($30K more) · 9 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.