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 Albuquerque, NM 87102

Albuquerque: median income $42,990, home value $197,300, $230/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Paul, MN 55103 88%987$48,390$257,500$205 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
El Paso, TX 79902 87%229$50,873$238,500$163 pricier homes ($41K more)
Tucson, AZ 85716 86%314$49,061$324,000$231 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Portsmouth, VA 23704 85%1,694$49,583$230,300$175 pricier homes ($33K more)
Fort Wayne, IN 46802 85%1,236$46,854$184,800$150 smaller
Lexington, KY 40504 83%1,241$46,055$222,600$184 pricier homes ($25K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Birmingham, AL 35212 81%1,139$36,633$232,100$188 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Columbus, OH 43203 81%1,336$47,572$319,300$169 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller
New Orleans, LA 70114 81%1,030$43,493$206,700$150 5 min longer commute
Trenton, NJ 08618 80%1,769$50,390$227,000$186 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Jackson, MS 39202 79%965$38,554$222,100$135 smaller
Tucson, AZ 85712 79%313$50,625$268,600$214 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger · older residents
Syracuse, NY 13203 78%1,716$46,997$156,900$118 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Norfolk, VA 23504 78%1,696$44,659$269,400$182 pricier homes ($72K more) · younger residents
Newport, KY 41071 78%1,249$59,976$192,900$190 more homeowners
Sioux Falls, SD 57104 78%788$57,688$202,800$167 Very close on everything we compare
New London, CT 06320 77%1,911$59,170$253,300$223 pricier homes ($56K more) · older homes
Winston-Salem, NC 27101 77%1,482$44,198$221,000$154 less walkable · newer homes
Wilmington, NC 28401 77%1,627$57,968$298,500$270 pricier homes ($101K more) · older residents
Cincinnati, OH 45237 77%1,251$44,913$170,600$150 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more homeowners · less walkable
Omaha, NE 68105 77%719$57,533$208,800$162 younger residents
Dallas, TX 75215 77%589$45,557$190,100$172 more single-family homes
Holyoke, MA 01040 76%1,887$53,605$274,100$183 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger
Willimantic, CT 06226 76%1,906$47,162$190,000$186 younger residents · less walkable
Oklahoma City, OK 73105 76%517$50,102$162,000$185 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · younger 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.