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 Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Ann Arbor: median income $94,774, home value $503,100, $264/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Towson, MD 21204 87%422$99,606$594,800$261 pricier homes ($92K more) · smaller
Fort Worth, TX 76109 86%999$100,507$630,800$269 pricier homes ($128K more)
Chapel Hill, NC 27514 85%507$92,875$663,900$299 pricier homes ($161K more) · younger residents
Atlanta, GA 30328 85%580$112,111$561,900$236 pricier homes ($59K more) · older residents
Austin, TX 78759 84%1,131$102,400$674,000$332 pricier homes ($171K more) · older residents
Amherst, MA 01002 83%574$70,818$481,100$314 Very close on everything we compare
Raleigh, NC 27612 83%521$95,988$529,000$261 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Minneapolis, MN 55416 83%515$105,958$461,500$272 cheaper homes ($42K less) · more walkable
Birmingham, AL 35243 81%634$99,645$538,400$233 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · older residents
Naperville, IL 60563 81%232$109,783$435,600$271 cheaper homes ($68K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Irving, TX 75063 81%971$117,133$559,900$225 pricier homes ($57K more) · more renters
Raleigh, NC 27609 80%522$83,065$471,200$311 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents
Middleton, WI 53562 80%300$101,381$532,200$270 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents
Madison, WI 53705 80%297$88,549$475,400$340 cheaper homes ($28K less) · more walkable · older homes
State College, PA 16803 79%318$73,532$413,700$195 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Durham, NC 27705 79%503$73,066$455,000$261 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Charlotte, NC 28209 79%516$101,873$623,000$446 pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller · more walkable
Dallas, TX 75252 79%960$85,000$580,600$241 pricier homes ($78K more) · older residents
Houston, TX 77079 79%1,089$101,995$679,900$339 pricier homes ($177K more) · more walkable
King Of Prussia, PA 19406 78%459$116,847$429,300$278 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Raleigh, NC 27607 78%524$96,775$707,800$339 pricier homes ($205K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Atlanta, GA 30342 78%583$124,111$829,400$318 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($326K more)
Dublin, OH 43016 78%155$109,972$452,000$211 cheaper homes ($51K less) · newer homes
Dallas, TX 75248 78%962$100,414$576,100$254 pricier homes ($73K more) · older residents
Austin, TX 78727 78%1,129$110,379$540,400$272 pricier homes ($37K 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.