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 Sacramento, CA 95814

Sacramento: median income $58,284, home value $633,200, $355/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tacoma, WA 98402 87%601$60,505$531,300$438 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · newer homes
Portland, OR 97205 83%483$57,288$637,100$387 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Seattle, WA 98104 79%625$61,460$616,000$596 newer homes
Denver, CO 80246 77%890$67,235$716,400$405 pricier homes ($83K more) · younger residents
Salt Lake City, UT 84111 77%532$52,952$440,200$399 cheaper homes ($193K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Miami, FL 33136 75%2,546$44,843$416,900$328 cheaper homes ($216K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85003 75%634$60,461$616,800$389 more homeowners · more single-family homes
Roxbury, MA 02119 74%2,624$48,488$688,600$459 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · more homeowners
Norfolk, VA 23510 74%2,448$73,524$385,700$246 cheaper homes ($248K less)
Dallas, TX 75231 71%1,438$58,540$522,400$256 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger · younger residents
Providence, RI 02903 70%2,615$64,476$408,900$475 cheaper homes ($224K less) · more homeowners · older homes
Renton, WA 98057 70%615$68,552$648,800$376 more homeowners · more single-family homes · less walkable
Austin, TX 78752 69%1,465$67,682$422,000$334 cheaper homes ($211K less) · larger · younger residents
Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120 68%2,624$64,289$885,900$485 pricier homes ($253K more) · younger residents
Miami, FL 33130 68%2,547$61,009$517,300$536 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger · newer homes
Omaha, NE 68102 68%1,362$64,111$389,400$329 cheaper homes ($244K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Alexandria, VA 22311 67%2,368$87,626$760,300$379 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Detroit, MI 48226 67%2,020$64,860$324,500$492 cheaper homes ($309K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Chicago, IL 60612 67%1,786$60,922$364,600$292 cheaper homes ($269K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Portland, OR 97232 67%484$70,895$781,200$326 pricier homes ($148K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Manchester, NH 03101 65%2,596$84,434$429,300$238 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($204K less) · smaller
Buffalo, NY 14202 65%2,227$56,528$479,100$288 cheaper homes ($154K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Honolulu, HI 96826 65%2,459$68,296$507,200$547 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · older residents
Union City, NJ 07087 64%2,498$64,310$471,600$453 cheaper homes ($162K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Newark, NJ 07102 64%2,491$38,864$431,500$294 cheaper homes ($202K less) · 9 min longer commute

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.