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.

Reset

Towns most like Davis, CA 95616

Davis: median income $74,359, home value $895,600, $470/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boulder, CO 80303 89%887$78,555$961,900$467 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · older residents
Boulder, CO 80302 86%885$61,698$1,190,800$604 pricier homes ($295K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98105 85%630$74,349$1,312,100$578 pricier homes ($417K more)
Nashville, TN 37212 80%1,915$95,145$963,800$422 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · older homes
Chapel Hill, NC 27514 79%2,335$92,875$663,900$299 cheaper homes ($232K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 78%1,999$64,231$491,200$393 cheaper homes ($404K less) · older homes
Austin, TX 78751 78%1,477$80,915$852,000$470 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · older residents
Raleigh, NC 27607 77%2,356$96,775$707,800$339 cheaper homes ($188K less) · smaller · newer homes
Fort Collins, CO 80521 76%896$58,082$564,900$378 cheaper homes ($331K less)
Charlottesville, VA 22903 73%2,323$69,340$526,200$304 cheaper homes ($369K less) · older residents
Amherst, MA 01002 71%2,568$70,818$481,100$314 cheaper homes ($415K less) · smaller
Dallas, TX 75206 70%1,451$91,023$615,400$363 cheaper homes ($280K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Austin, TX 78704 70%1,477$106,897$916,100$507 higher income ($33K more) · older residents
Charleston, SC 29403 69%2,359$66,944$674,000$586 cheaper homes ($222K less) · smaller · older residents
Columbus, OH 43212 69%2,056$77,257$533,700$336 cheaper homes ($362K less) · smaller · older residents
Tampa, FL 33606 67%2,365$120,729$845,600$551 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 67%603$64,626$589,100$399 cheaper homes ($307K less) · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Charlotte, NC 28209 66%2,253$101,873$623,000$446 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($273K less) · smaller
Bozeman, MT 59715 66%735$88,407$848,400$466 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Salt Lake City, UT 84103 65%546$83,916$779,200$375 cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller · older residents
Seattle, WA 98122 65%626$106,886$957,100$551 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($62K more) · older residents
Houston, TX 77030 64%1,619$77,336$631,400$317 cheaper homes ($264K less) · smaller · older residents
Provo, UT 84604 64%551$75,571$582,000$250 cheaper homes ($314K less)
Kingston, RI 02881 63%2,627$56,472$575,000$369 cheaper homes ($321K less) · smaller
Houston, TX 77079 63%1,606$101,995$679,900$339 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($216K less) · older 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.