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 Sacramento, CA 95831

Sacramento: median income $100,751, home value $642,700, $346/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Beaverton, OR 97008 97%485$96,116$578,100$338 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Portland, OR 97223 96%484$106,757$600,300$312 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Littleton, CO 80120 95%889$94,296$628,300$289 Very close on everything we compare
Tacoma, WA 98466 95%605$101,778$602,400$351 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85044 91%641$96,820$474,800$281 cheaper homes ($168K less)
Olympia, WA 98502 91%600$92,207$537,200$326 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Springfield, VA 22150 90%2,369$123,114$635,900$335 smaller
Miami, FL 33176 90%2,544$86,354$638,900$426 Very close on everything we compare
Vancouver, WA 98683 90%494$87,659$543,100$308 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Tualatin, OR 97062 89%479$105,407$640,300$293 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Lynnwood, WA 98037 89%647$107,281$767,300$393 pricier homes ($125K more)
Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 89%644$107,687$667,100$438 smaller
Woburn, MA 01801 88%2,622$111,185$673,500$456 pricier homes ($31K more) · older homes
Pompano Beach, FL 33071 88%2,529$106,149$576,700$294 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Tampa, FL 33611 88%2,352$90,910$479,800$368 cheaper homes ($163K less)
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 88%884$89,627$609,800$331 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · older homes
Renton, WA 98056 88%623$113,688$797,300$467 pricier homes ($155K more)
Tacoma, WA 98406 88%608$104,264$638,400$347 smaller · older homes
Tacoma, WA 98407 88%609$110,288$656,600$414 smaller
Olympia, WA 98501 88%592$97,198$529,300$299 cheaper homes ($113K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 87%2,486$101,901$457,600$362 cheaper homes ($185K less) · less walkable
Cary, NC 27511 87%2,341$107,860$456,000$286 cheaper homes ($187K less)
Charleston, SC 29407 87%2,344$85,367$451,800$356 cheaper homes ($191K less)
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 87%2,335$89,185$452,700$340 cheaper homes ($190K less) · smaller
Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 87%2,337$117,724$582,400$386 cheaper homes ($60K less) · more homeowners

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.