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 98109

Seattle: median income $133,663, home value $1,034,100, $649/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Denver, CO 80202 84%1,020$114,151$722,700$467 cheaper homes ($311K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22203 83%2,320$140,135$826,800$511 cheaper homes ($207K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Washington, DC 20003 82%2,325$159,846$957,700$625 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($76K less) · more homeowners
Miami, FL 33131 81%2,733$144,138$655,100$622 cheaper homes ($379K less) · more homeowners
Arlington, VA 22201 80%2,320$145,000$781,600$625 cheaper homes ($253K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Washington, DC 20001 79%2,323$138,059$852,600$552 cheaper homes ($182K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Dallas, TX 75201 79%1,680$103,761$688,100$614 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($346K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22202 78%2,323$133,762$899,000$453 cheaper homes ($135K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Irvine, CA 92612 78%994$106,226$993,800$750 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($40K less) · older homes
Arlington, VA 22209 77%2,321$120,515$820,000$602 cheaper homes ($214K less) · smaller · older homes
Charlotte, NC 28203 77%2,282$104,696$707,800$459 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($326K less) · smaller
Houston, TX 77027 74%1,889$103,812$859,500$362 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($175K less) · smaller
Cambridge, MA 02141 73%2,485$126,522$868,100$842 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Chicago, IL 60601 73%1,734$121,458$526,200$494 cheaper homes ($508K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Playa Vista, CA 90094 72%966$145,744$1,356,000$885 pricier homes ($322K more) · smaller · older residents
Los Angeles, CA 90025 70%960$103,894$1,079,700$699 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($46K more) · older homes
Chicago, IL 60642 69%1,732$143,175$593,600$385 cheaper homes ($441K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 68%2,718$124,812$884,800$542 cheaper homes ($149K less) · smaller · older residents
Austin, TX 78704 68%1,772$106,897$916,100$507 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($118K less) · more single-family homes
San Francisco, CA 94103 68%681$116,438$1,022,800$857 older residents · 6 min longer commute
New York, NY 10018 67%2,402$145,958$1,044,800$1,183 smaller · less walkable
Miami, FL 33132 67%2,732$109,109$524,300$550 cheaper homes ($510K less) · smaller
Tampa, FL 33602 67%2,527$97,320$653,100$431 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($381K less) · smaller
San Diego, CA 92101 67%1,066$91,566$793,100$693 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($241K less) · larger
San Francisco, CA 94107 67%682$182,897$1,222,500$1,051 higher income ($49K more) · pricier homes ($188K more) · 9 min longer commute

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.