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 Ashburn, VA 20148

Ashburn: median income $233,494, home value $873,700, $293/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Austin, TX 78732 74%1,298$192,500$853,900$276 lower income ($41K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Chester Springs, PA 19425 72%125$211,739$656,700$220 cheaper homes ($217K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Clarksburg, MD 20871 71%20$177,523$668,800$226 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($205K less) · smaller
Hopkinton, MA 01748 69%385$222,801$802,700$357 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Broomfield, CO 80023 69%1,461$158,180$869,000$262 lower income ($75K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 68%195$192,857$799,900$439 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Denver, CO 80238 68%1,462$180,940$832,200$295 lower income ($53K less) · cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Cary, NC 27519 67%234$165,586$670,900$267 lower income ($68K less) · cheaper homes ($203K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Fulton, MD 20759 66%33$250,000+*$954,700$268 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Alpharetta, GA 30004 66%506$156,100$657,700$249 lower income ($77K less) · cheaper homes ($216K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Alpharetta, GA 30005 66%504$176,957$636,300$236 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($237K less) · smaller
Austin, TX 78738 66%1,304$183,048$916,300$294 lower income ($50K less) · pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Castle Rock, CO 80108 66%1,457$181,049$881,700$227 lower income ($52K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694 66%2,247$189,966$1,127,200$634 lower income ($44K less) · pricier homes ($254K more) · smaller
Minneapolis, MN 55446 65%917$170,625$583,500$210 lower income ($63K less) · cheaper homes ($290K less) · smaller
Pompano Beach, FL 33076 64%892$176,641$832,000$351 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($42K less) · more single-family homes
Naperville, IL 60564 64%591$181,382$572,100$263 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($302K less) · more single-family homes
Frederick, MD 21704 63%24$161,063$612,000$227 lower income ($72K less) · cheaper homes ($262K less) · smaller
Issaquah, WA 98029 62%2,280$170,759$1,063,200$525 lower income ($63K less) · pricier homes ($190K more) · smaller
Belle Mead, NJ 08502 61%182$227,242$816,700$384 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Princeton, NJ 08540 61%180$176,983$767,900$431 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($106K less) · more renters
Furlong, PA 18925 61%158$207,609$730,000$248 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller
Ellicott City, MD 21042 61%40$190,061$706,400$274 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($167K less) · older residents
Frisco, TX 75033 61%1,148$174,762$652,100$228 lower income ($59K less) · cheaper homes ($222K less) · more renters
San Diego, CA 92127 61%2,231$195,520$1,232,300$676 lower income ($38K less) · pricier homes ($359K more) · 7 min shorter commute

* 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.