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 85282

Tempe: median income $79,036, home value $412,000, $279/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salt Lake City, UT 84107 94%502$72,108$458,300$283 pricier homes ($46K more)
Charlotte, NC 28205 92%1,774$75,622$457,200$356 pricier homes ($45K more)
Madison, WI 53704 92%1,391$74,034$318,400$265 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Dallas, TX 75234 92%869$86,733$351,600$247 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Midvale, UT 84047 92%499$75,954$434,300$264 Very close on everything we compare
Atlanta, GA 30341 90%1,585$86,313$463,100$287 pricier homes ($51K more)
Houston, TX 77055 90%997$74,369$624,200$278 pricier homes ($212K more)
Beaverton, OR 97005 89%1,016$78,239$504,300$299 pricier homes ($92K more) · smaller
Newport News, VA 23606 88%2,004$72,874$327,200$205 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Durham, NC 27707 88%1,874$74,406$407,800$249 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Worth, TX 76107 88%842$79,990$431,200$280 smaller
Denver, CO 80226 88%578$82,300$568,300$267 pricier homes ($156K more) · smaller · older residents
Colorado Springs, CO 80907 88%548$74,402$414,900$260 smaller
Winter Park, FL 32792 87%1,837$69,200$374,200$256 cheaper homes ($38K less) · 6 min longer commute
Waukesha, WI 53186 87%1,441$74,588$301,100$224 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller
Grand Forks, ND 58201 87%1,266$68,143$288,500$263 cheaper homes ($124K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Carrollton, TX 75006 87%870$84,815$328,500$202 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Houston, TX 77043 87%993$79,359$411,100$206 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Sandy, UT 84070 87%497$78,991$461,900$273 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller · newer homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84115 87%506$65,548$434,700$306 smaller
Reno, NV 89503 87%611$66,743$467,200$298 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Sacramento, CA 95826 87%637$82,127$463,300$320 pricier homes ($51K more)
Vancouver, WA 98661 87%1,019$76,913$451,500$289 pricier homes ($40K more)
Hopkins, MN 55343 86%1,265$83,143$381,500$212 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older residents
Arvada, CO 80002 86%582$93,362$558,500$322 pricier homes ($147K more) · smaller

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.