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 97217

Portland: median income $100,361, home value $578,700, $311/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Denver, CO 80220 92%986$106,054$805,400$382 pricier homes ($227K more)
Salt Lake City, UT 84106 92%640$101,551$567,900$329 newer homes
Orlando, FL 32803 91%2,527$107,592$455,600$334 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller · newer homes
Orlando, FL 32804 89%2,524$113,231$561,000$351 smaller · newer homes
Portland, ME 04103 88%2,533$89,796$459,500$356 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Collingswood, NJ 08108 87%2,412$108,151$395,300$332 cheaper homes ($183K less) · smaller
Columbus, OH 43209 86%2,032$89,713$392,500$256 cheaper homes ($186K less)
Columbus, OH 43214 86%2,025$94,183$400,400$290 cheaper homes ($178K less)
Dallas, TX 75218 86%1,635$107,366$521,000$329 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Salt Lake City, UT 84105 86%639$99,562$686,100$374 pricier homes ($107K more) · older homes
Tacoma, WA 98406 85%117$104,264$638,400$347 pricier homes ($60K more) · newer homes
Nashville, TN 37206 84%1,968$96,169$600,200$362 newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55418 84%1,424$99,397$348,700$232 cheaper homes ($230K less)
Austin, TX 78757 84%1,707$103,860$655,900$427 pricier homes ($77K more) · newer homes
Atlanta, GA 30317 83%2,173$107,955$541,100$351 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Dallas, TX 75208 83%1,633$81,950$438,400$281 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Englewood, CO 80113 83%987$96,590$709,100$408 pricier homes ($130K more) · smaller · less walkable
Denver, CO 80222 83%988$86,472$623,400$359 pricier homes ($45K more) · more renters · newer homes
Denver, CO 80224 83%988$86,352$604,000$274 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller · newer homes
Milwaukee, WI 53213 82%1,710$101,688$340,100$258 cheaper homes ($239K less)
Minneapolis, MN 55406 82%1,426$93,910$354,100$263 cheaper homes ($225K less) · older homes
Minneapolis, MN 55426 82%1,418$99,347$364,600$237 cheaper homes ($214K less)
Saint Louis, MO 63132 82%1,710$87,385$417,000$270 cheaper homes ($162K less) · smaller · less walkable
New Orleans, LA 70115 82%2,061$90,182$643,100$342 pricier homes ($64K more) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 82%977$89,627$609,800$331 pricier homes ($31K 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.