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 84109

Salt Lake City: median income $145,034, home value $731,200, $343/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Minneapolis, MN 55410 86%979$146,425$620,600$323 cheaper homes ($111K less) · older residents · older homes
Denver, CO 80207 86%370$115,542$705,200$390 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($26K less)
Haddonfield, NJ 08033 85%1,924$151,181$635,300$384 cheaper homes ($96K less) · 8 min longer commute
Birmingham, MI 48009 85%1,476$153,401$697,900$377 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older residents · less walkable
Houston, TX 77018 85%1,188$127,017$584,600$329 cheaper homes ($147K less) · 6 min longer commute · more renters
Portland, OR 97221 85%641$145,671$821,400$342 pricier homes ($90K more) · smaller · older residents
Richmond, VA 23226 84%1,839$126,655$530,900$390 cheaper homes ($200K less) · smaller · older residents
Milwaukee, WI 53217 84%1,236$133,021$449,100$277 cheaper homes ($282K less)
Saint Louis, MO 63122 84%1,145$136,385$474,300$272 cheaper homes ($257K less) · larger · older residents
Sacramento, CA 95864 84%529$127,953$810,400$439 pricier homes ($79K more) · older residents
Sacramento, CA 95819 83%533$136,306$753,500$554 Very close on everything we compare
Portland, OR 97219 83%640$121,306$677,900$327 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
West Hartford, CT 06107 82%2,013$174,844$474,700$318 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($257K less) · older residents
Boonton, NJ 07005 82%1,941$132,629$587,100$365 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller · older residents
Tampa, FL 33629 82%1,879$164,355$851,400$493 pricier homes ($120K more) · older residents · newer homes
New Orleans, LA 70124 82%1,423$121,228$580,600$257 cheaper homes ($151K less) · newer homes
Kensington, MD 20895 81%1,834$173,625$781,500$396 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($50K more) · older residents
Elmhurst, IL 60126 81%1,238$147,566$540,300$360 cheaper homes ($191K less) · larger · older residents
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 81%1,232$137,658$514,300$290 cheaper homes ($217K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Leawood, KS 66206 80%919$174,394$672,100$289 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Prairie Village, KS 66208 80%918$124,000$445,600$317 cheaper homes ($286K less) · older residents
West Hartford, CT 06117 79%2,013$171,707$472,300$271 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($259K less) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55419 79%980$148,350$495,000$282 cheaper homes ($236K less) · older homes
Highland Park, IL 60035 79%1,244$168,094$607,300$338 cheaper homes ($124K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Park Ridge, IL 60068 79%1,242$143,222$551,700$325 cheaper homes ($180K less) · larger · older residents

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.