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 Portland, OR 97212

Portland: median income $131,932, home value $876,800, $331/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sacramento, CA 95818 86%486$118,196$790,200$512 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Denver, CO 80212 81%976$124,972$744,500$453 cheaper homes ($132K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80220 81%984$106,054$805,400$382 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($71K less) · newer homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84105 81%636$99,562$686,100$374 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($191K less) · younger residents
Denver, CO 80210 77%983$127,270$910,200$437 pricier homes ($33K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Denver, CO 80207 76%983$115,542$705,200$390 cheaper homes ($172K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Minneapolis, MN 55410 75%1,420$146,425$620,600$323 cheaper homes ($256K less) · more homeowners
Sacramento, CA 95819 75%486$136,306$753,500$554 cheaper homes ($123K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
West Roxbury, MA 02132 74%2,528$138,724$746,100$505 cheaper homes ($131K less) · 10 min longer commute
Saint Petersburg, FL 33704 73%2,498$107,889$753,600$451 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller · older residents
Oak Park, IL 60304 73%1,745$136,178$466,700$307 cheaper homes ($410K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Cincinnati, OH 45208 72%1,981$137,600$547,200$299 cheaper homes ($330K less) · smaller · less walkable
Haddonfield, NJ 08033 71%2,412$151,181$635,300$384 cheaper homes ($242K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Richmond, VA 23226 71%2,364$126,655$530,900$390 cheaper homes ($346K less) · smaller · newer homes
Orlando, FL 32804 71%2,522$113,231$561,000$351 cheaper homes ($316K less) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98136 71%138$149,269$925,000$544 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Melrose, MA 02176 70%2,528$133,953$822,900$494 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 13 min longer commute
Leonia, NJ 07605 70%2,434$129,219$672,900$469 cheaper homes ($204K less) · smaller · 9 min longer commute
Atlanta, GA 30306 70%2,168$123,077$799,800$389 cheaper homes ($77K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Saint Paul, MN 55105 70%1,427$107,248$470,100$273 cheaper homes ($407K less) · younger residents
Dallas, TX 75214 70%1,630$132,313$777,100$431 cheaper homes ($100K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Springfield, NJ 07081 69%2,422$155,906$636,600$401 cheaper homes ($240K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Dallas, TX 75218 69%1,632$107,366$521,000$329 cheaper homes ($356K less) · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94602 69%535$122,263$1,129,500$720 pricier homes ($253K more) · 7 min longer commute
Mineola, NY 11501 68%2,454$137,665$655,500$522 cheaper homes ($221K less) · 10 min longer commute · 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.