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 Herndon, VA 20171

Herndon: median income $171,372, home value $797,200, $331/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Atlanta, GA 30319 91%520$130,648$762,500$301 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($35K less)
Princeton, NJ 08540 86%177$176,983$767,900$431 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Gaithersburg, MD 20878 85%15$144,313$715,800$302 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($81K less) · older residents
Issaquah, WA 98029 85%2,289$170,759$1,063,200$525 pricier homes ($266K more) · smaller
Atlanta, GA 30342 84%521$124,111$829,400$318 lower income ($47K less) · pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Denver, CO 80238 84%1,470$180,940$832,200$295 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Ellicott City, MD 21043 82%39$148,125$620,900$272 cheaper homes ($176K less)
Charlotte, NC 28211 82%320$132,917$774,900$360 lower income ($38K less) · smaller · older homes
Atlanta, GA 30338 82%515$135,148$611,300$249 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($186K less) · older homes
Lone Tree, CO 80124 82%1,466$129,858$773,900$272 lower income ($42K less) · smaller
Columbia, MD 21044 80%34$135,057$566,500$250 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($231K less)
Houston, TX 77008 80%1,202$143,229$642,600$296 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($155K less) · more single-family homes
Louisville, CO 80027 80%1,476$154,232$890,200$358 pricier homes ($93K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Rockville, MD 20850 79%16$125,950$714,400$331 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($83K less) · older residents
Englewood, CO 80111 79%1,465$135,995$916,500$314 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($119K more) · smaller
Portland, OR 97229 79%2,337$161,570$782,100$309 more homeowners · more single-family homes
Bothell, WA 98011 79%2,299$131,667$933,000$486 lower income ($40K less) · pricier homes ($136K more) · smaller
Alpharetta, GA 30009 78%509$126,510$640,500$317 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller
Bethesda, MD 20814 76%16$150,996$989,600$425 pricier homes ($192K more) · smaller · older homes
Charlotte, NC 28277 76%327$128,627$560,600$269 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($237K less)
Decatur, GA 30030 76%524$126,830$631,500$328 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller
Plainsboro, NJ 08536 75%179$137,607$704,100$404 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Malvern, PA 19355 75%126$169,417$692,300$315 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · older residents
Plano, TX 75093 75%1,156$124,563$670,500$259 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($127K less) · older residents
Houston, TX 77024 75%1,209$136,149$1,127,500$414 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($330K more) · older residents

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.