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 Phoenix, AZ 85083

Phoenix: median income $149,087, home value $612,700, $267/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oviedo, FL 32766 98%1,859$147,552$564,400$250 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Matthews, NC 28104 94%1,787$138,017$533,500$253 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Odessa, FL 33556 94%1,786$149,722$625,200$266 larger
Berthoud, CO 80513 94%596$126,726$600,600$249 Very close on everything we compare
Harrisburg, NC 28075 93%1,787$144,288$482,800$205 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Colorado Springs, CO 80908 93%552$133,965$705,400$237 pricier homes ($93K more)
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 92%2,071$157,009$488,100$252 cheaper homes ($125K less)
Waxhaw, NC 28173 91%1,786$150,597$608,000$231 larger
Bulverde, TX 78163 91%847$140,594$435,600$207 cheaper homes ($177K less)
Thompsons Station, TN 37179 90%1,436$136,188$570,200$296 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Elgin, IL 60124 90%1,410$139,982$430,900$211 cheaper homes ($182K less)
Frisco, TX 75036 90%883$151,645$564,500$229 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Plano, TX 75094 90%895$171,476$539,200$193 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Sunnyvale, TX 75182 90%901$170,348$565,300$208 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Aledo, TX 76008 90%842$168,314$493,200$205 cheaper homes ($120K less)
New Braunfels, TX 78132 90%863$135,315$620,300$212 larger
Monument, CO 80132 90%548$161,670$773,100$225 pricier homes ($160K more)
Boerne, TX 78015 89%837$162,487$492,400$206 cheaper homes ($120K less)
San Antonio, TX 78255 89%838$157,428$531,400$212 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Dripping Springs, TX 78620 89%856$153,477$676,500$239 pricier homes ($64K more)
Moseley, VA 23120 88%1,937$158,667$569,300$224 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Summerfield, NC 27358 88%1,825$138,717$444,400$205 cheaper homes ($168K less)
Saint Augustine, FL 32092 88%1,809$131,020$489,800$216 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger
Saint Augustine, FL 32095 88%1,814$136,038$525,000$229 cheaper homes ($88K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Saint Johns, FL 32259 88%1,805$150,736$533,400$237 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger

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.