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 Bristow, VA 20136

Bristow: median income $183,750, home value $615,600, $235/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Market, MD 21774 91%49$171,103$541,000$241 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Bowie, MD 20720 87%44$158,997$564,600$216 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Frederick, MD 21704 86%43$161,063$612,000$227 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Plainfield, IL 60585 84%598$155,511$453,200$216 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($162K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Odessa, FL 33556 83%787$149,722$625,200$266 lower income ($34K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Victoria, MN 55386 83%929$192,458$565,900$206 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Bowie, MD 20721 82%43$163,105$580,200$214 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
Morganville, NJ 07751 79%207$181,205$715,600$381 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller · older homes
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 79%41$139,403$461,300$225 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger
Saint Charles, IL 60175 79%612$181,352$519,700$221 cheaper homes ($96K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Naperville, IL 60564 79%598$181,382$572,100$263 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Grand Prairie, TX 75054 79%1,171$163,229$470,000$168 cheaper homes ($146K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Jamison, PA 18929 78%168$179,380$627,700$274 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Clarksburg, MD 20871 78%38$177,523$668,800$226 pricier homes ($53K more) · more walkable
Chesterfield, NJ 08515 77%182$208,836$560,000$253 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Furlong, PA 18925 77%171$207,609$730,000$248 pricier homes ($114K more) · smaller
Ijamsville, MD 21754 77%43$182,188$647,300$236 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Mount Airy, MD 21771 77%49$157,302$556,200$241 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($59K less) · more single-family homes
Nolensville, TN 37135 77%538$148,819$672,600$283 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($57K more) · more single-family homes
Novi, MI 48374 77%406$182,827$577,700$222 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Bolingbrook, IL 60490 77%594$150,531$395,000$217 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($221K less) · more single-family homes
San Antonio, TX 78260 77%1,344$154,590$498,100$190 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($118K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Waldorf, MD 20603 76%32$137,946$453,700$198 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($162K less)
White Plains, MD 20695 76%32$141,959$470,900$194 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller
Doylestown, PA 18902 75%172$161,267$668,200$301 pricier homes ($53K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute

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.