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 Thornton, PA 19373

Thornton: median income $192,708, home value $755,800, $277/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newfields, NH 03856 87%320$197,885$646,400$371 cheaper homes ($109K less) · older residents
South Walpole, MA 02071 86%269$213,885$651,800$374 cheaper homes ($104K less) · younger residents
Highland, MD 20777 86%91$226,146$861,900$282 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($106K more) · older residents
Marriottsville, MD 21104 84%83$191,804$680,200$243 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger
Glenwood, MD 21738 84%90$250,000+*$914,300$268 higher income ($57K more) · pricier homes ($159K more) · larger
West Friendship, MD 21794 83%87$231,466$999,400$230 higher income ($39K more) · pricier homes ($244K more) · older residents
Saunderstown, RI 02874 82%241$159,861$713,700$396 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Brookeville, MD 20833 81%95$204,375$797,100$284 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · older residents
Dayton, MD 21036 81%91$218,036$881,300$264 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($126K more) · older residents
Glenelg, MD 21737 81%91$250,000+*$996,400$243 higher income ($57K more) · pricier homes ($241K more) · newer homes
Bucyrus, KS 66013 81%1,025$164,320$724,500$234 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($31K less)
Harvard, MA 01451 79%273$214,792$856,200$349 pricier homes ($100K more) · larger · older homes
Bolton, MA 01740 79%269$205,449$796,000$309 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Dunstable, MA 01827 79%284$208,512$674,000$306 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Martinsville, NJ 08836 79%70$229,726$743,700$376 higher income ($37K more) · larger · older homes
Cumberland Center, ME 04021 78%382$172,468$579,000$388 cheaper homes ($177K less) · larger
Oakland, MI 48363 78%443$179,375$618,200$226 cheaper homes ($138K less) · larger
Brookline, NH 03033 77%280$171,046$544,400$245 cheaper homes ($211K less) · larger
South Glastonbury, CT 06073 77%197$201,477$560,900$270 cheaper homes ($195K less) · larger · older residents
Millington, NJ 07946 77%75$208,587$801,700$417 pricier homes ($46K more) · older residents · older homes
Wayne, IL 60184 77%678$163,750$642,700$239 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($113K less) · older residents
Glencoe, MO 63038 77%814$186,450$580,800$193 cheaper homes ($175K less) · larger · older residents
Austin, TX 78733 77%1,419$206,368$1,008,600$407 pricier homes ($253K more) · larger · older residents
Chester, NJ 07930 76%76$240,954$771,200$361 higher income ($48K more) · larger · older residents
Pittstown, NJ 08867 76%57$204,583$601,600$276 cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger · older residents

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or 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.