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 Portland, OR 97211

Portland: median income $112,586, home value $634,000, $324/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dallas, TX 75218 88%1,633$107,366$521,000$329 cheaper homes ($113K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80207 88%983$115,542$705,200$390 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Orlando, FL 32804 87%2,522$113,231$561,000$351 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · newer homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84105 87%637$99,562$686,100$374 pricier homes ($52K more)
Denver, CO 80220 86%984$106,054$805,400$382 pricier homes ($171K more)
Sacramento, CA 95818 85%488$118,196$790,200$512 pricier homes ($156K more)
Tacoma, WA 98406 85%118$104,264$638,400$347 newer homes
Atlanta, GA 30317 84%2,171$107,955$541,100$351 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · newer homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84106 83%638$101,551$567,900$329 cheaper homes ($66K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80212 82%977$124,972$744,500$453 pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Hawthorne, NJ 07506 81%2,423$110,237$533,700$383 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
New Milford, NJ 07646 81%2,430$114,889$580,400$467 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Collingswood, NJ 08108 80%2,410$108,151$395,300$332 cheaper homes ($239K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Minneapolis, MN 55418 80%1,422$99,397$348,700$232 cheaper homes ($285K less)
Chicago, IL 60631 80%1,741$115,000$436,400$280 cheaper homes ($198K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Saint Petersburg, FL 33704 79%2,499$107,889$753,600$451 pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller · older residents
Minneapolis, MN 55406 79%1,424$93,910$354,100$263 cheaper homes ($280K less)
Houston, TX 77018 79%1,828$127,017$584,600$329 cheaper homes ($49K less) · newer homes
Nutley, NJ 07110 78%2,427$119,646$517,500$421 cheaper homes ($117K less) · 8 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Orlando, FL 32803 78%2,525$107,592$455,600$334 cheaper homes ($178K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Columbus, OH 43214 78%2,023$94,183$400,400$290 cheaper homes ($234K less)
Silver Spring, MD 20901 76%2,343$131,386$589,800$337 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 10 min longer commute
Dallas, TX 75229 76%1,623$121,469$631,700$335 less walkable · newer homes
Austin, TX 78757 76%1,705$103,860$655,900$427 newer homes
Claremont, CA 91711 76%833$126,056$894,300$503 pricier homes ($260K more) · newer homes

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.