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 Provo, UT 84604

Provo: median income $75,571, home value $582,000, $250/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blacksburg, VA 24060 90%1,686$67,675$447,600$237 cheaper homes ($134K less)
Charlottesville, VA 22903 89%1,773$69,340$526,200$304 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older residents
Boise, ID 83706 84%327$82,893$537,700$364 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older residents
Corvallis, OR 97333 84%662$65,191$511,100$351 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller · older residents
State College, PA 16801 82%1,765$61,836$414,600$228 cheaper homes ($167K less)
Birmingham, AL 35209 82%1,446$71,439$504,600$311 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older residents
Amherst, MA 01002 81%2,021$70,818$481,100$314 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller
Fort Collins, CO 80521 81%345$58,082$564,900$378 Very close on everything we compare
Raleigh, NC 27606 80%1,809$78,371$457,900$247 cheaper homes ($124K less) · older residents
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 80%351$64,626$589,100$399 newer homes
Durham, NC 27707 79%1,793$74,406$407,800$249 cheaper homes ($174K less) · older residents
Chico, CA 95926 79%540$61,920$473,600$286 cheaper homes ($108K less) · less walkable
Corvallis, OR 97330 78%663$70,742$526,800$320 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents
Harrisonburg, VA 22801 77%1,746$72,067$364,300$202 cheaper homes ($218K less) · older residents · newer homes
Durham, NC 27705 77%1,791$73,066$455,000$261 cheaper homes ($127K less) · older residents
Atlanta, GA 30341 77%1,564$86,313$463,100$287 cheaper homes ($119K less) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Fort Collins, CO 80526 77%345$88,686$551,800$273 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents
College Park, MD 20740 76%1,838$77,317$423,900$261 cheaper homes ($158K less) · 10 min longer commute
Chapel Hill, NC 27514 76%1,789$92,875$663,900$299 pricier homes ($82K more)
Nashville, TN 37209 76%1,371$81,423$529,800$333 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Tempe, AZ 85282 76%475$79,036$412,000$279 cheaper homes ($170K less) · older residents
State College, PA 16803 75%1,762$73,532$413,700$195 cheaper homes ($168K less) · smaller · older residents
Richardson, TX 75080 75%966$92,903$447,100$272 cheaper homes ($135K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Raleigh, NC 27607 74%1,810$96,775$707,800$339 pricier homes ($126K more) · smaller · newer homes
Birmingham, AL 35216 74%1,448$74,525$398,200$192 cheaper homes ($184K less) · older residents · 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.