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 Tacoma, WA 98402

Tacoma: median income $60,505, home value $531,300, $438/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salt Lake City, UT 84111 88%690$52,952$440,200$399 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Sacramento, CA 95814 87%601$58,284$633,200$355 pricier homes ($102K more) · larger · older homes
Salt Lake City, UT 84101 84%689$72,735$499,300$474 cheaper homes ($32K less) · newer homes
Norfolk, VA 23510 80%2,435$73,524$385,700$246 cheaper homes ($146K less)
Miami, FL 33130 80%2,728$61,009$517,300$536 larger · newer homes
Denver, CO 80246 78%1,018$67,235$716,400$405 pricier homes ($185K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Glendale, CA 91204 76%932$74,144$726,500$556 pricier homes ($195K more) · larger
Austin, TX 78752 75%1,759$67,682$422,000$334 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Los Angeles, CA 90012 75%937$66,860$693,600$564 pricier homes ($162K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Sacramento, CA 95811 75%602$80,827$761,000$400 pricier homes ($230K more) · older homes
Phoenix, AZ 85034 74%1,098$63,559$422,200$280 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Burbank, CA 91502 73%929$52,473$879,200$703 pricier homes ($348K more) · 6 min longer commute
Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120 72%2,495$64,289$885,900$485 pricier homes ($355K more) · larger · younger residents
Glendale, CA 91203 72%931$82,364$728,700$615 pricier homes ($197K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Miami, FL 33136 71%2,727$44,843$416,900$328 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger
Fort Worth, TX 76102 71%1,652$75,859$296,600$304 cheaper homes ($235K less) · newer homes
Phoenix, AZ 85003 71%1,097$60,461$616,800$389 pricier homes ($86K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Los Angeles, CA 90015 71%938$69,268$786,000$558 pricier homes ($255K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Portland, OR 97205 70%120$57,288$637,100$387 pricier homes ($106K more) · older residents · older homes
Raleigh, NC 27601 69%2,366$71,350$579,500$387 pricier homes ($48K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Detroit, MI 48226 69%1,940$64,860$324,500$492 cheaper homes ($207K less) · older homes
Sacramento, CA 95825 69%601$64,602$440,200$292 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Addison, TX 75001 68%1,662$73,514$468,800$259 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Dallas, TX 75231 68%1,670$58,540$522,400$256 larger · less walkable
Dallas, TX 75240 68%1,666$58,320$395,100$220 cheaper homes ($136K less) · larger · more single-family 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.