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 Salt Lake City, UT 84107

Salt Lake City: median income $72,108, home value $458,300, $283/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Beaverton, OR 97005 95%643$78,239$504,300$299 pricier homes ($46K more)
Phoenix, AZ 85014 94%494$66,731$476,100$298 Very close on everything we compare
Tempe, AZ 85282 94%502$79,036$412,000$279 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Mesa, AZ 85202 92%502$71,619$370,900$255 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Tampa, FL 33607 88%1,881$69,694$354,400$292 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
Houston, TX 77055 88%1,188$74,369$624,200$278 pricier homes ($166K more) · more single-family homes
Denver, CO 80226 88%365$82,300$568,300$267 pricier homes ($110K more)
Phoenix, AZ 85013 88%494$71,966$567,700$315 pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller · older homes
Vancouver, WA 98661 88%641$76,913$451,500$289 less walkable
Phoenix, AZ 85022 87%485$69,927$425,200$290 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Tempe, AZ 85283 87%504$84,568$442,800$298 more single-family homes
Reno, NV 89503 87%427$66,743$467,200$298 more single-family homes
Seattle, WA 98188 87%696$76,438$456,400$323 Very close on everything we compare
Hopkins, MN 55343 86%978$83,143$381,500$212 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Denver, CO 80214 86%366$75,575$559,100$387 pricier homes ($101K more) · 6 min longer commute
Gresham, OR 97030 86%628$69,239$435,700$254 Very close on everything we compare
Vancouver, WA 98660 86%643$67,344$469,600$329 smaller · older residents
Charlotte, NC 28205 85%1,726$75,622$457,200$356 more single-family homes
West Palm Beach, FL 33403 85%2,048$70,646$368,800$272 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller
Grand Forks, ND 58201 85%886$68,143$288,500$263 cheaper homes ($170K less)
Providence, RI 02904 84%2,083$67,003$339,900$249 cheaper homes ($118K less) · 6 min longer commute
Durham, NC 27701 84%1,806$69,740$508,900$346 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · more renters
Hialeah, FL 33014 84%2,074$77,338$424,200$327 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Madison, WI 53704 84%1,168$74,034$318,400$265 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80907 84%395$74,402$414,900$260 cheaper homes ($43K less) · more single-family 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.