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 Tempe, AZ 85281

Tempe: median income $64,538, home value $381,000, $345/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Austin, TX 78741 88%862$66,741$420,100$267 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · older residents
Austin, TX 78752 87%861$67,682$422,000$334 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · older residents
Provo, UT 84606 85%471$52,811$443,600$275 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Dallas, TX 75287 84%872$63,741$405,600$230 older residents
Austin, TX 78758 84%859$74,381$440,200$231 pricier homes ($59K more) · older residents
Irving, TX 75038 82%864$68,990$408,000$232 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · older residents
Eugene, OR 97401 82%948$52,022$494,100$328 pricier homes ($113K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Dallas, TX 75240 80%875$58,320$395,100$220 smaller · older residents
Wilmington, NC 28403 78%1,946$54,547$386,700$277 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Atlanta, GA 30329 77%1,584$76,579$488,300$229 pricier homes ($107K more) · smaller · older residents
Dallas, TX 75235 77%873$63,393$294,500$249 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · older residents
Sacramento, CA 95825 77%638$64,602$440,200$292 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller · older residents
Dallas, TX 75231 76%878$58,540$522,400$256 pricier homes ($141K more) · smaller · older residents
Philadelphia, PA 19122 75%2,072$63,676$349,800$247 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Dallas, TX 75254 75%873$67,216$287,300$217 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller · older residents
Raleigh, NC 27606 74%1,887$78,371$457,900$247 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · older residents
Minneapolis, MN 55414 74%1,275$51,966$440,500$233 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Austin, TX 78753 74%861$65,170$371,300$233 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Carrboro, NC 27510 73%1,865$61,837$449,700$282 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller · older residents
Nashville, TN 37208 73%1,434$65,556$520,000$315 pricier homes ($139K more) · smaller · older residents
Salt Lake City, UT 84111 73%507$52,952$440,200$399 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller · older residents
Charlotte, NC 28217 72%1,767$64,028$263,300$233 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller · older residents
Salt Lake City, UT 84115 72%504$65,548$434,700$306 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · older residents
Durham, NC 27701 71%1,875$69,740$508,900$346 pricier homes ($128K more) · smaller · older residents
Charlotte, NC 28262 71%1,776$69,231$346,600$184 cheaper homes ($34K less) · less walkable · newer 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.