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.

Reset

Towns most like Anchorage, AK 99504

Anchorage: median income $86,710, home value $314,000, $233/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Burnsville, MN 55337 92%2,508$84,110$349,100$180 pricier homes ($35K more)
Harrisburg, PA 17111 89%3,289$86,385$235,500$165 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Carrollton, TX 75006 89%3,032$84,815$328,500$202 more renters
Salt Lake City, UT 84123 89%2,123$81,271$464,500$242 pricier homes ($151K more)
Glendale Heights, IL 60139 88%2,828$86,372$261,800$220 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 8 min longer commute
Chesapeake, VA 23320 87%3,501$84,305$346,400$219 pricier homes ($32K more)
Virginia Beach, VA 23453 87%3,504$93,838$336,900$234 more single-family homes
Minneapolis, MN 55432 87%2,492$79,520$301,800$187 more single-family homes · older homes
Westbrook, ME 04092 86%3,315$85,038$383,300$331 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Newark, DE 19702 86%3,360$92,446$346,100$209 pricier homes ($32K more) · 5 min longer commute
Grand Rapids, MI 49508 86%2,858$70,120$281,600$187 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55109 86%2,503$86,776$315,600$196 more single-family homes
Minneapolis, MN 55433 86%2,486$78,054$296,900$191 more single-family homes
Manchester, CT 06042 85%3,346$91,892$237,400$224 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller
Virginia Beach, VA 23462 85%3,498$69,040$286,500$213 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · more renters
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 85%3,972$77,321$337,700$281 7 min longer commute
Waukesha, WI 53186 85%2,766$74,588$301,100$224 Very close on everything we compare
Sioux Falls, SD 57106 85%2,454$77,580$290,200$188 newer homes
Colorado Springs, CO 80917 85%2,445$72,991$387,800$200 pricier homes ($74K more) · 6 min longer commute
Mesa, AZ 85202 85%2,549$71,619$370,900$255 pricier homes ($57K more) · more renters
Glen Burnie, MD 21061 84%3,355$87,751$339,100$236 pricier homes ($25K more) · 7 min longer commute
Virginia Beach, VA 23452 84%3,500$79,085$346,600$250 pricier homes ($33K more) · more single-family homes
Virginia Beach, VA 23455 84%3,496$94,069$418,000$247 pricier homes ($104K more)
Hampton, VA 23666 84%3,478$72,568$253,000$194 cheaper homes ($61K less) · more renters
Columbus, OH 43231 84%3,096$73,986$237,000$197 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller

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.