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 Waldorf, MD 20601

Waldorf: median income $117,480, home value $402,100, $200/sq ft, 43-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Charles Town, WV 25414 89%69$105,500$391,700$180 6 min shorter commute
Fredericksburg, VA 22408 88%42$110,112$378,000$202 7 min shorter commute
Chester, NY 10918 86%233$140,550$459,700$263 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Washingtonville, NY 10992 86%240$112,353$413,700$289 smaller
Spotsylvania, VA 22553 86%49$135,856$480,200$210 pricier homes ($78K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Stafford, VA 22556 86%36$137,287$486,100$226 pricier homes ($84K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Sussex, NJ 07461 85%216$106,981$370,000$262 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Woodbridge, VA 22193 84%25$117,337$444,800$264 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Fredericksburg, VA 22407 84%44$111,129$409,500$219 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Spotsylvania, VA 22551 83%55$110,370$391,400$236 more single-family homes
Elgin, TX 78621 83%1,297$98,534$320,800$162 cheaper homes ($81K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Spring Creek, NV 89815 83%2,047$102,926$351,100$228 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
King George, VA 22485 82%28$117,560$428,300$197 pricier homes ($26K more) · 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Stephens City, VA 22655 82%77$109,169$388,400$202 10 min shorter commute
La Vernia, TX 78121 82%1,371$120,048$402,600$222 smaller · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Manhattan, IL 60442 81%618$127,986$355,900$194 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Plainfield, IL 60544 81%632$108,304$336,300$212 cheaper homes ($66K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Yorkville, IL 60560 81%645$110,326$346,300$195 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 10 min shorter commute · newer homes
Cedar Creek, TX 78612 81%1,312$95,496$309,200$181 cheaper homes ($93K less) · newer homes
Uxbridge, MA 01569 80%364$124,222$443,400$305 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Triangle, VA 22172 80%25$109,956$500,400$218 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Fredericksburg, VA 22406 80%40$129,167$512,300$205 pricier homes ($110K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Riverview, FL 33569 80%809$105,275$372,500$206 cheaper homes ($30K less) · 8 min shorter commute · newer homes
Wildomar, CA 92595 80%2,262$106,047$562,000$287 pricier homes ($160K more)
Graham, WA 98338 80%2,338$114,819$509,600$302 pricier homes ($108K 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.