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 Waterford, VA 20197

Waterford: median income $190,703, home value $1,080,200, $310/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Highland, MD 20777 87%35$226,146$861,900$282 higher income ($35K more) · cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger
Dayton, MD 21036 86%34$218,036$881,300$264 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($199K less) · more homeowners
West Newbury, MA 01985 81%427$179,500$808,200$387 cheaper homes ($272K less) · larger
West Friendship, MD 21794 81%36$231,466$999,400$230 higher income ($41K more) · cheaper homes ($81K less) · more homeowners
Newfields, NH 03856 80%436$197,885$646,400$371 cheaper homes ($434K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Ashton, MD 20861 79%34$163,438$852,700$224 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($228K less) · larger
Boxford, MA 01921 78%421$200,672$904,200$357 cheaper homes ($176K less) · larger · older homes
Glenwood, MD 21738 78%34$250,000+*$914,300$268 higher income ($59K more) · cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger
Bolton, MA 01740 77%387$205,449$796,000$309 cheaper homes ($284K less) · larger · younger residents
Far Hills, NJ 07931 77%189$201,078$1,165,700$477 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Glenelg, MD 21737 77%33$250,000+*$996,400$243 higher income ($59K more) · cheaper homes ($84K less) · younger residents
Austin, TX 78733 77%1,297$206,368$1,008,600$407 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Harvard, MA 01451 76%390$214,792$856,200$349 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger · younger residents
Easton, CT 06612 75%270$222,604$783,100$323 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($297K less) · larger
Dunstable, MA 01827 74%401$208,512$674,000$306 cheaper homes ($406K less) · larger · younger residents
Thornton, PA 19373 74%122$192,708$755,800$277 cheaper homes ($324K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Wayne, IL 60184 74%589$163,750$642,700$239 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($438K less)
Larkspur, CO 80118 74%1,452$158,155$886,900$248 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($193K less) · larger
Millington, NJ 07946 73%194$208,587$801,700$417 cheaper homes ($279K less) · larger · older homes
Brookeville, MD 20833 73%31$204,375$797,100$284 cheaper homes ($283K less) · larger · older homes
Marriottsville, MD 21104 73%40$191,804$680,200$243 cheaper homes ($400K less) · larger · younger residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33332 73%921$172,730$909,000$395 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Driftwood, TX 78619 73%1,314$183,393$810,600$339 cheaper homes ($270K less) · larger · newer homes
Southborough, MA 01772 72%384$201,568$841,700$354 cheaper homes ($239K less) · larger · more walkable
Pittstown, NJ 08867 72%172$204,583$601,600$276 cheaper homes ($479K less) · larger

* 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.