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 98466

Tacoma: median income $101,778, home value $602,400, $351/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Beaverton, OR 97008 96%123$96,116$578,100$338 Very close on everything we compare
Sacramento, CA 95831 95%605$100,751$642,700$346 pricier homes ($40K more)
Woburn, MA 01801 93%2,492$111,185$673,500$456 pricier homes ($71K more)
Arvada, CO 80002 93%1,010$93,362$558,500$322 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 92%1,011$89,627$609,800$331 Very close on everything we compare
Littleton, CO 80120 92%1,022$94,296$628,300$289 pricier homes ($26K more)
Asbury Park, NJ 07712 91%2,428$96,725$616,300$447 Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, VA 22150 91%2,330$123,114$635,900$335 pricier homes ($34K more)
Denver, CO 80215 91%1,012$85,190$650,100$298 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Redlands, CA 92373 91%953$101,271$765,700$386 pricier homes ($163K more)
Carmichael, CA 95608 91%597$86,563$599,100$331 larger
Portland, OR 97223 91%124$106,757$600,300$312 larger
Charleston, SC 29407 90%2,424$85,367$451,800$356 cheaper homes ($151K less)
Miami, FL 33176 90%2,730$86,354$638,900$426 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Scottsdale, AZ 85257 90%1,101$86,962$506,300$368 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Portland, OR 97222 90%124$83,119$490,900$316 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Alexandria, VA 22309 89%2,335$107,376$567,200$327 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 6 min longer commute
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233 89%2,465$89,185$452,700$340 cheaper homes ($150K less)
Dallas, TX 75238 89%1,675$82,019$568,700$333 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Englewood, CO 80110 89%1,020$85,900$497,300$284 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Norwalk, CT 06851 88%2,430$111,341$587,400$407 Very close on everything we compare
Edison, NJ 08817 88%2,403$110,808$431,100$411 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger
Parlin, NJ 08859 88%2,409$99,882$445,800$372 cheaper homes ($157K less) · 6 min longer commute
Pompano Beach, FL 33071 88%2,707$106,149$576,700$294 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Denver, CO 80226 88%1,014$82,300$568,300$267 cheaper homes ($34K less)

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.