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 Ashburn, VA 20147

Ashburn: median income $163,904, home value $718,500, $311/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ellicott City, MD 21043 93%39$148,125$620,900$272 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Gaithersburg, MD 20878 83%13$144,313$715,800$302 more walkable · older homes
Laurel, MD 20723 82%35$138,113$525,400$255 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($193K less) · smaller
Charlotte, NC 28277 82%331$128,627$560,600$269 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($158K less) · more single-family homes
Hanover, MD 21076 81%42$146,869$513,300$241 cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller
Issaquah, WA 98029 80%2,281$170,759$1,063,200$525 pricier homes ($345K more) · smaller
Alpharetta, GA 30009 79%510$126,510$640,500$317 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Tampa, FL 33626 79%814$127,118$577,100$289 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller
Elkridge, MD 21075 78%41$135,303$455,300$246 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($263K less) · smaller
Cary, NC 27519 78%236$165,586$670,900$267 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Allen, TX 75013 78%1,145$146,891$590,700$223 cheaper homes ($128K less) · more single-family homes
Alpharetta, GA 30004 77%509$156,100$657,700$249 cheaper homes ($61K less) · more single-family homes
Lone Tree, CO 80124 77%1,460$129,858$773,900$272 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Princeton, NJ 08540 76%177$176,983$767,900$431 pricier homes ($49K more) · older homes
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852 76%181$133,209$523,000$331 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($196K less) · smaller
New Albany, OH 43054 76%292$148,100$510,600$234 cheaper homes ($208K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Austin, TX 78717 76%1,288$145,325$652,200$230 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · more renters
Denver, CO 80238 76%1,464$180,940$832,200$295 pricier homes ($114K more) · smaller · more walkable
Atlanta, GA 30319 75%522$130,648$762,500$301 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($44K more) · more renters
Littleton, CO 80129 75%1,467$141,667$663,800$266 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Glen Mills, PA 19342 74%121$132,688$594,000$276 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller
Columbia, MD 21044 74%34$135,057$566,500$250 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($152K less) · smaller
Raleigh, NC 27614 74%223$128,834$577,400$231 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller
Alpharetta, GA 30005 74%507$176,957$636,300$236 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33326 74%908$117,373$573,800$350 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller

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.