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 87111

Albuquerque: median income $90,290, home value $379,500, $235/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Plano, TX 75075 96%578$98,365$428,000$219 pricier homes ($49K more)
Phoenix, AZ 85044 93%337$96,820$474,800$281 pricier homes ($95K more)
Saint Paul, MN 55113 92%980$86,792$350,200$207 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older homes
Cary, NC 27511 91%1,557$107,860$456,000$286 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller
San Antonio, TX 78232 91%606$85,273$362,000$188 smaller · younger residents
Spokane, WA 99223 91%1,027$94,279$490,500$213 pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller
Waukesha, WI 53188 90%1,117$92,409$348,600$237 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Charlottesville, VA 22901 89%1,558$92,145$501,700$272 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller
Virginia Beach, VA 23455 89%1,695$94,069$418,000$247 pricier homes ($39K more)
Louisville, KY 40223 89%1,179$96,607$362,500$179 smaller
Saint Paul, MN 55118 89%977$87,340$350,600$205 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Lenexa, KS 66215 89%701$88,232$338,800$189 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · younger residents
Metairie, LA 70005 89%1,017$89,194$430,200$249 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · older homes
Olympia, WA 98501 89%1,178$97,198$529,300$299 pricier homes ($150K more)
Maitland, FL 32751 88%1,538$95,387$453,700$291 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller
Louisville, KY 40222 88%1,175$82,511$363,000$193 smaller
Madison, WI 53711 88%1,063$100,735$424,600$260 pricier homes ($45K more) · younger residents
Saint Paul, MN 55112 88%982$93,838$358,500$200 younger residents
Colorado Springs, CO 80906 88%269$89,984$574,100$224 pricier homes ($195K more) · smaller
Fresno, CA 93711 88%753$104,176$494,200$250 pricier homes ($115K more)
Salem, OR 97302 88%1,101$85,833$446,400$268 pricier homes ($67K more)
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 87%1,644$99,077$284,500$199 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Bethlehem, PA 18017 87%1,730$91,173$336,100$207 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Allentown, PA 18104 87%1,723$94,601$336,400$195 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Charlottesville, VA 22902 87%1,563$93,463$436,200$290 pricier homes ($57K 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.