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 Manassas, VA 20109

Manassas: median income $89,962, home value $421,100, $279/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gaithersburg, MD 20877 94%30$92,800$474,800$268 pricier homes ($54K more)
Kent, WA 98032 89%2,301$82,636$520,800$327 pricier homes ($100K more)
Hyattsville, MD 20785 88%36$85,994$348,400$254 cheaper homes ($73K less) · older homes
Laurel, MD 20708 87%41$83,367$451,500$249 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · older homes
Pompano Beach, FL 33065 86%879$74,226$434,100$271 Very close on everything we compare
Federal Way, WA 98003 86%2,302$75,319$476,600$314 pricier homes ($56K more)
Hollywood, FL 33025 85%899$68,743$364,800$277 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Danbury, CT 06810 84%280$76,933$402,100$287 older residents · older homes
Miami, FL 33190 83%929$82,533$404,900$262 smaller · newer homes
Hialeah, FL 33015 82%903$77,339$421,900$333 larger · older residents
Oxon Hill, MD 20745 81%29$75,236$375,700$271 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · older residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 81%893$66,100$383,400$347 cheaper homes ($38K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33351 81%886$77,363$371,400$256 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Laurel, MD 20707 80%41$107,706$423,400$250 Very close on everything we compare
Framingham, MA 01702 79%400$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($162K more) · older homes
Windsor Mill, MD 21244 79%55$85,114$282,600$198 cheaper homes ($139K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Stamford, CT 06902 78%263$94,843$510,400$399 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · more walkable
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324 78%890$85,000$379,700$262 cheaper homes ($41K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Greenbelt, MD 20770 77%37$84,096$255,200$227 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · older homes
Hialeah, FL 33014 77%906$77,338$424,200$327 older residents · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Everett, WA 98204 77%2,298$68,513$414,000$353 7 min shorter commute
Silver Spring, MD 20904 76%34$96,025$560,000$247 pricier homes ($139K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Owings Mills, MD 21117 76%59$101,831$387,400$201 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Duluth, GA 30096 76%496$74,656$375,200$200 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Pompano Beach, FL 33073 76%877$97,412$500,700$296 pricier homes ($80K more) · more homeowners · 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.