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 Cheltenham, MD 20623

Cheltenham: median income $146,058, home value $494,500, $209/sq ft, 46-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cool, CA 95614 89%2,352$133,426$584,600$262 pricier homes ($90K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Raymond, CA 93653 88%2,323$120,568$533,700$212 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Mico, TX 78056 87%1,409$119,946$553,500$171 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($59K more)
Beaverdam, VA 23015 84%73$113,771$442,900$257 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Terrell, NC 28682 84%315$129,390$436,600$190 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Lyndeborough, NH 03082 82%390$120,313$397,700$220 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller
Linden, VA 22642 82%66$114,282$361,700$230 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($133K less) · younger residents
Geneva, FL 32732 82%733$119,205$487,600$280 lower income ($27K less) · larger
Augusta, MO 63332 82%757$146,146$385,400$227 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller · younger residents
Rossville, TN 38066 81%747$107,660$377,900$200 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($117K less)
Bluff Dale, TX 76433 81%1,270$117,702$395,000$240 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($100K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Duanesburg, NY 12056 80%313$132,150$374,500$193 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Crawford, TX 76638 80%1,259$129,917$440,900$195 cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Great Meadows, NJ 07838 79%176$121,599$440,100$265 cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents · older homes
Campbell Hall, NY 10916 79%231$135,556$492,400$295 larger · younger residents · older homes
Westtown, NY 10998 79%215$129,348$462,000$282 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Catlett, VA 20119 79%44$115,757$560,700$260 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($66K more)
Currituck, NC 27929 79%166$132,713$429,500$209 cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Grant, FL 32949 79%777$130,651$580,600$250 pricier homes ($86K more) · older residents · 10 min shorter commute
Kiowa, CO 80117 79%1,477$115,673$667,100$265 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($173K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Rock Tavern, NY 12575 78%234$142,530$446,200$268 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Elbert, CO 80106 77%1,485$136,852$748,800$295 pricier homes ($254K more) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Chester, NH 03036 76%412$142,212$552,300$298 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Holmes, NY 12531 76%255$129,028$475,400$312 8 min shorter commute · older homes
Kintnersville, PA 18930 76%150$127,072$524,000$253 pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute

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.