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 Renton, WA 98057

Renton: median income $68,552, home value $648,800, $376/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Inglewood, CA 90302 83%954$73,777$738,900$459 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger · older homes
Canoga Park, CA 91303 82%936$74,474$683,000$539 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · younger residents
Sacramento, CA 95841 79%610$61,054$424,500$289 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger
Framingham, MA 01702 78%2,467$82,496$583,000$340 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · older homes
Dallas, TX 75220 78%1,664$69,843$500,200$388 cheaper homes ($149K less) · larger · younger residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 77%2,707$66,100$383,400$347 cheaper homes ($265K less) · larger · younger residents
West Palm Beach, FL 33401 77%2,683$67,967$473,100$469 cheaper homes ($176K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Denver, CO 80214 77%1,007$75,575$559,100$387 cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger · more homeowners
Phoenix, AZ 85003 77%1,104$60,461$616,800$389 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 8 min shorter commute · older homes
Sacramento, CA 95825 77%615$64,602$440,200$292 cheaper homes ($209K less) · larger · younger residents
Austin, TX 78752 76%1,758$67,682$422,000$334 cheaper homes ($227K less) · larger · younger residents
Phoenix, AZ 85021 76%1,096$59,768$470,400$321 cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger · more homeowners
Van Nuys, CA 91405 76%938$62,900$737,700$545 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · older homes
Concord, CA 94520 76%656$82,479$601,000$468 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · more homeowners
Long Branch, NJ 07740 75%2,412$79,870$578,800$453 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · more homeowners
Hialeah, FL 33014 75%2,712$77,338$424,200$327 cheaper homes ($225K less) · larger · more homeowners
Dallas, TX 75231 75%1,668$58,540$522,400$256 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · younger residents
Phoenix, AZ 85034 75%1,105$63,559$422,200$280 cheaper homes ($227K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Long Beach, CA 90804 75%969$71,614$736,000$568 pricier homes ($87K more) · larger · less walkable
Glendale, CA 91203 75%943$82,364$728,700$615 pricier homes ($80K more)
Beaverton, OR 97005 75%139$78,239$504,300$299 cheaper homes ($145K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Mount Rainier, MD 20712 74%2,319$68,846$527,900$298 cheaper homes ($121K less) · older homes
Phoenix, AZ 85014 74%1,100$66,731$476,100$298 cheaper homes ($173K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Glendale, CA 91204 74%944$74,144$726,500$556 pricier homes ($78K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Lowell, MA 01854 73%2,461$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($237K less) · larger · younger residents

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.