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 Centreville, VA 20120

Centreville: median income $152,563, home value $648,700, $317/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ellicott City, MD 21043 93%46$148,125$620,900$272 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Laurel, MD 20723 92%39$138,113$525,400$255 cheaper homes ($123K less)
Gaithersburg, MD 20878 91%22$144,313$715,800$302 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger
West Chester, PA 19382 88%126$132,091$568,500$282 cheaper homes ($80K less) · older homes
North Andover, MA 01845 87%425$140,670$732,900$367 pricier homes ($84K more) · older homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33326 87%895$117,373$573,800$350 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($75K less)
Littleton, CO 80129 87%1,470$141,667$663,800$266 more single-family homes
Phoenixville, PA 19460 86%136$124,050$455,900$251 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($193K less)
West Chester, PA 19380 84%127$122,899$564,400$278 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($84K less) · older residents
Alpharetta, GA 30009 84%503$126,510$640,500$317 lower income ($26K less) · smaller · more renters
Glen Mills, PA 19342 83%128$132,688$594,000$276 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · older residents
Columbia, MD 21044 83%41$135,057$566,500$250 cheaper homes ($82K less) · more renters
Hanover, MD 21076 83%45$146,869$513,300$241 cheaper homes ($135K less) · smaller · newer homes
Lawrence Township, NJ 08648 82%173$125,514$428,000$294 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($221K less) · older homes
Malvern, PA 19355 82%133$169,417$692,300$315 pricier homes ($44K more) · more single-family homes
Elkridge, MD 21075 82%46$135,303$455,300$246 cheaper homes ($193K less)
Lafayette, CO 80026 82%1,471$120,187$705,600$310 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($57K more)
Denver, CO 80228 82%1,476$113,977$641,300$291 lower income ($39K less)
Beaverton, OR 97007 82%2,338$123,533$608,800$288 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($40K less) · more single-family homes
Franklin, MA 02038 81%390$145,773$611,700$343 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Blue Bell, PA 19422 81%148$158,288$611,900$274 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Olney, MD 20832 81%30$168,524$627,000$290 smaller · 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Germantown, MD 20876 81%27$119,731$487,300$264 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller
Annapolis, MD 21401 81%50$123,381$601,400$331 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($47K less) · older residents
Charlotte, NC 28226 81%319$118,606$617,600$282 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($31K less) · 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.