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 Sterling, VA 20166

Sterling: median income $133,401, home value $618,800, $298/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Odenton, MD 21113 78%42$125,639$432,000$240 cheaper homes ($187K less) · larger
Morrisville, NC 27560 77%230$118,417$508,200$225 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Raleigh, NC 27617 77%224$110,034$489,600$218 cheaper homes ($129K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Elkridge, MD 21075 75%42$135,303$455,300$246 cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger · more homeowners
Exton, PA 19341 73%122$121,680$509,300$249 cheaper homes ($110K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Hanover, MD 21076 72%42$146,869$513,300$241 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger · more homeowners
Atlanta, GA 30326 72%522$121,984$448,000$323 cheaper homes ($171K less) · smaller · more renters
Atlanta, GA 30342 72%521$124,111$829,400$318 pricier homes ($211K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Frisco, TX 75034 72%1,151$111,122$729,700$248 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Englewood, CO 80112 72%1,462$108,874$659,200$282 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Lone Tree, CO 80124 70%1,461$129,858$773,900$272 pricier homes ($155K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Atlanta, GA 30328 69%519$112,111$561,900$236 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Atlanta, GA 30339 69%525$103,277$465,800$242 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78735 69%1,302$139,191$867,500$323 pricier homes ($249K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Rockville, MD 20850 68%18$125,950$714,400$331 pricier homes ($96K more) · larger · older residents
Phoenix, AZ 85054 68%1,942$91,507$687,200$390 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($68K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Plainsboro, NJ 08536 67%180$137,607$704,100$404 pricier homes ($85K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852 67%183$133,209$523,000$331 cheaper homes ($96K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Secaucus, NJ 07094 66%220$139,821$571,900$352 cheaper homes ($47K less) · more walkable · older homes
Laurel, MD 20724 66%36$118,115$426,100$266 cheaper homes ($193K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Charleston, SC 29492 66%436$110,509$791,400$409 pricier homes ($173K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Austin, TX 78726 66%1,295$90,885$698,100$259 lower income ($43K less) · pricier homes ($79K more) · more single-family homes
Alpharetta, GA 30009 65%508$126,510$640,500$317 older residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Atlanta, GA 30309 65%525$114,072$432,300$342 cheaper homes ($187K less) · larger · more walkable
Franklin, TN 37067 65%552$111,759$756,300$313 pricier homes ($138K more) · larger · 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.