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 Stanford, CA 94305

Stanford: median income $83,088, home value $2M+*, $1,123/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seattle, WA 98105 58%708$74,349$1,312,100$578 cheaper homes ($688K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Boulder, CO 80302 51%926$61,698$1,190,800$604 cheaper homes ($809K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Nashville, TN 37212 47%1,947$95,145$963,800$422 cheaper homes ($1036K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Austin, TX 78751 47%1,481$80,915$852,000$470 cheaper homes ($1148K less) · older residents
Boulder, CO 80303 45%928$78,555$961,900$467 cheaper homes ($1038K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Boston, MA 02215 42%2,688$72,095$750,000$1,104 cheaper homes ($1250K less) · 5 min longer commute · more renters
Boston, MA 02114 41%2,689$132,210$924,400$1,148 higher income ($49K more) · cheaper homes ($1076K less) · older residents
Washington, DC 20037 41%2,428$111,153$685,300$639 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($1315K less) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98102 41%705$114,925$963,200$617 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($1037K less) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98122 41%704$106,886$957,100$551 cheaper homes ($1043K less) · larger · older residents
Tampa, FL 33606 40%2,381$120,729$845,600$551 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($1154K less) · older residents
Miami, FL 33146 39%2,571$131,500$1,318,200$804 higher income ($48K more) · cheaper homes ($682K less) · 7 min longer commute
Boston, MA 02111 38%2,690$87,404$1,033,500$1,037 cheaper homes ($967K less) · smaller · older residents
Cambridge, MA 02141 37%2,688$126,522$868,100$842 higher income ($43K more) · cheaper homes ($1132K less) · older residents
Seattle, WA 98109 37%706$133,663$1,034,100$649 higher income ($51K more) · cheaper homes ($966K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78704 36%1,480$106,897$916,100$507 cheaper homes ($1084K less) · larger · older residents
Seattle, WA 98119 36%706$123,551$1,047,600$594 higher income ($40K more) · cheaper homes ($952K less) · older residents
Cambridge, MA 02138 35%2,686$119,967$1,212,400$919 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($788K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22209 35%2,426$120,515$820,000$602 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($1180K less) · older residents
Charlotte, NC 28203 34%2,286$104,696$707,800$459 cheaper homes ($1292K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Cambridge, MA 02142 33%2,688$147,723$1,954,500$1,396 higher income ($65K more) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
New York, NY 10038 33%2,561$105,419$921,900$1,006 cheaper homes ($1078K less) · older residents · 11 min longer commute
Bellevue, WA 98007 33%704$131,109$1,018,100$543 higher income ($48K more) · cheaper homes ($982K less) · older residents
Charleston, SC 29403 31%2,387$66,944$674,000$586 cheaper homes ($1326K less) · older residents · older homes
Austin, TX 78756 31%1,479$94,701$832,000$500 cheaper homes ($1168K less) · smaller · older residents

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.