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 Bowie, MD 20715

Bowie: median income $143,732, home value $452,600, $257/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Springfield, PA 19064 89%100$136,893$414,500$286 cheaper homes ($38K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Trumbull, CT 06611 87%244$163,073$547,300$317 pricier homes ($95K more)
Colonia, NJ 07067 87%170$122,713$493,100$393 pricier homes ($41K more)
Riverton, NJ 08077 86%117$128,271$386,100$245 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 5 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Springfield, VA 22151 86%28$156,015$655,800$350 pricier homes ($203K more) · smaller
South Plainfield, NJ 07080 85%166$130,205$470,900$386 Very close on everything we compare
Butler, NJ 07405 85%186$135,169$569,800$342 pricier homes ($117K more)
Ringwood, NJ 07456 85%196$152,414$449,800$302 smaller · less walkable
Middletown, NJ 07748 85%171$152,981$600,600$413 pricier homes ($148K more)
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567 85%219$144,194$566,700$352 pricier homes ($114K more) · 6 min longer commute
Monroe, CT 06468 84%247$157,250$503,200$275 pricier homes ($51K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Broomall, PA 19008 84%101$119,698$500,300$274 pricier homes ($48K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Cheshire, CT 06410 83%267$145,179$438,900$262 Very close on everything we compare
Milltown, NJ 08850 83%159$141,601$470,700$410 smaller
Centereach, NY 11720 83%234$134,898$518,600$391 pricier homes ($66K more) · less walkable
Bellingham, MA 02019 82%350$125,307$450,700$282 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Seekonk, MA 02771 82%347$120,613$482,800$314 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · older residents
Orange, CT 06477 82%253$142,325$491,500$290 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Oakland, NJ 07436 82%194$161,971$591,000$390 pricier homes ($138K more) · smaller
Howell, NJ 07731 82%157$134,056$494,600$353 pricier homes ($42K more) · newer homes
Nesconset, NY 11767 82%230$152,985$637,900$407 pricier homes ($185K more) · smaller
Lancaster, MA 01523 81%357$134,833$519,100$288 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller · less walkable
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 81%177$117,298$438,600$329 lower income ($26K less) · smaller · less walkable
Succasunna, NJ 07876 81%170$161,304$527,200$324 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller · less walkable
Mahopac, NY 10541 81%229$138,617$508,500$333 pricier homes ($56K more) · 8 min longer commute · less walkable

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.