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 97213

Portland: median income $97,068, home value $632,100, $297/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salt Lake City, UT 84105 88%634$99,562$686,100$374 pricier homes ($54K more) · younger residents
Columbus, OH 43214 84%2,021$94,183$400,400$290 cheaper homes ($232K less) · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55406 84%1,422$93,910$354,100$263 cheaper homes ($278K less)
Dallas, TX 75218 84%1,630$107,366$521,000$329 cheaper homes ($111K less) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80220 83%982$106,054$805,400$382 pricier homes ($173K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Orlando, FL 32804 81%2,520$113,231$561,000$351 cheaper homes ($71K less) · newer homes
Saint Petersburg, FL 33704 80%2,496$107,889$753,600$451 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller · older residents
Louisville, KY 40205 80%1,946$99,966$375,300$208 cheaper homes ($257K less)
Denver, CO 80207 80%981$115,542$705,200$390 pricier homes ($73K more) · more homeowners
Sacramento, CA 95818 80%486$118,196$790,200$512 pricier homes ($158K more)
Collingswood, NJ 08108 79%2,408$108,151$395,300$332 cheaper homes ($237K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Columbus, OH 43209 78%2,028$89,713$392,500$256 cheaper homes ($240K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55418 78%1,420$99,397$348,700$232 cheaper homes ($283K less) · younger residents
Salt Lake City, UT 84106 78%636$101,551$567,900$329 cheaper homes ($64K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Tacoma, WA 98406 78%119$104,264$638,400$347 newer homes
Spokane, WA 99203 78%286$104,372$483,300$225 cheaper homes ($149K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Portland, ME 04103 77%2,530$89,796$459,500$356 cheaper homes ($173K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Louisville, KY 40207 77%1,946$101,898$421,200$202 cheaper homes ($211K less) · newer homes
Milwaukee, WI 53213 77%1,706$101,688$340,100$258 cheaper homes ($292K less) · younger residents
Saint Paul, MN 55105 77%1,425$107,248$470,100$273 cheaper homes ($162K less) · younger residents
Minneapolis, MN 55409 77%1,419$98,305$378,600$267 cheaper homes ($254K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hawthorne, NJ 07506 76%2,421$110,237$533,700$383 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller
Saint Louis, MO 63119 76%1,710$106,183$351,100$241 cheaper homes ($281K less) · newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63132 76%1,706$87,385$417,000$270 cheaper homes ($215K less) · smaller · less walkable
New Orleans, LA 70115 76%2,057$90,182$643,100$342 more apartments and townhomes

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.