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 Federal Way, WA 98003

Federal Way: median income $75,319, home value $476,600, $314/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pompano Beach, FL 33065 98%2,697$74,226$434,100$271 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33351 92%2,701$77,363$371,400$256 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Aurora, CO 80012 92%1,018$73,000$429,500$216 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Hialeah, FL 33015 91%2,710$77,339$421,900$333 cheaper homes ($55K less) · older residents
Hialeah, FL 33014 90%2,713$77,338$424,200$327 cheaper homes ($52K less) · older residents
Oxon Hill, MD 20745 89%2,327$75,236$375,700$271 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller
Gaithersburg, MD 20877 89%2,306$92,800$474,800$268 Very close on everything we compare
Hyattsville, MD 20785 88%2,328$85,994$348,400$254 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85021 88%1,090$59,768$470,400$321 Very close on everything we compare
Stockton, CA 95207 88%646$69,455$432,800$261 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older homes
Danbury, CT 06810 87%2,408$76,933$402,100$287 cheaper homes ($75K less) · less walkable
Hollywood, FL 33025 87%2,710$68,743$364,800$277 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Aurora, CO 80011 87%1,018$74,022$409,100$235 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Gresham, OR 97030 87%125$69,239$435,700$254 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Manassas, VA 20109 86%2,302$89,962$421,100$279 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Pompano Beach, FL 33060 86%2,705$64,819$377,500$330 cheaper homes ($99K less) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Miami, FL 33174 86%2,717$59,185$403,600$332 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Phoenix, AZ 85022 86%1,087$69,927$425,200$290 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 86%945$92,237$616,300$425 pricier homes ($140K more)
Ontario, CA 91764 86%947$81,762$565,800$456 pricier homes ($89K more)
Framingham, MA 01702 85%2,474$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($106K more) · more renters · older homes
Long Branch, NJ 07740 85%2,417$79,870$578,800$453 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · older homes
Winter Park, FL 32792 85%2,541$69,200$374,200$256 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Miami, FL 33169 85%2,715$62,562$403,200$328 cheaper homes ($73K less) · older homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 85%2,708$66,100$383,400$347 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller

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.