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 Seattle, WA 98105

Seattle: median income $74,349, home value $1,312,100, $578/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Los Angeles, CA 90024 86%961$76,583$1,478,500$695 pricier homes ($166K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Davis, CA 95616 85%630$74,359$895,600$470 cheaper homes ($417K less)
Boulder, CO 80302 83%996$61,698$1,190,800$604 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Boulder, CO 80303 76%999$78,555$961,900$467 cheaper homes ($350K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Nashville, TN 37212 72%1,970$95,145$963,800$422 cheaper homes ($348K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Austin, TX 78751 72%1,769$80,915$852,000$470 cheaper homes ($460K less) · smaller · older residents
San Diego, CA 92122 67%1,057$105,177$1,046,300$742 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($266K less) · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90025 66%962$103,894$1,079,700$699 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($232K less) · older residents
Austin, TX 78704 64%1,771$106,897$916,100$507 higher income ($33K more) · cheaper homes ($396K less) · older residents
Pasadena, CA 91106 64%959$90,028$1,040,400$734 cheaper homes ($272K less) · smaller · older residents
Charleston, SC 29403 62%2,421$66,944$674,000$586 cheaper homes ($638K less) · smaller · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90034 61%964$105,701$1,516,600$909 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($205K more) · older residents
San Diego, CA 92104 61%1,066$94,014$914,700$761 cheaper homes ($397K less) · older residents
Dallas, TX 75206 60%1,679$91,023$615,400$363 cheaper homes ($697K less) · older residents · newer homes
Los Angeles, CA 90035 60%962$105,013$1,908,900$800 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($597K more) · smaller
Tampa, FL 33606 59%2,526$120,729$845,600$551 higher income ($46K more) · cheaper homes ($467K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80206 59%1,022$101,594$915,400$427 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($397K less) · smaller
San Diego, CA 92116 59%1,065$98,154$940,700$925 cheaper homes ($371K less) · smaller · older residents
Columbus, OH 43212 58%2,004$77,257$533,700$336 cheaper homes ($778K less) · smaller · older residents
Ann Arbor, MI 48104 58%1,902$64,231$491,200$393 cheaper homes ($821K less) · 7 min shorter commute
North Hollywood, CA 91601 58%954$79,607$1,000,000$637 cheaper homes ($312K less) · older residents · more renters
Irvine, CA 92617 58%996$91,529$693,700— cheaper homes ($618K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Stanford, CA 94305 58%708$83,088$2M+*$1,123 pricier homes ($688K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Portland, OR 97232 58%148$70,895$781,200$326 cheaper homes ($531K less) · smaller · older residents
Brighton, MA 02135 57%2,479$90,829$681,200$631 cheaper homes ($631K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.