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 20720

Bowie: median income $158,997, home value $564,600, $216/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dumfries, VA 22025 94%40$150,306$528,600$236 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Plainfield, IL 60585 92%629$155,511$453,200$216 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Gainesville, VA 20155 91%46$164,279$659,100$252 pricier homes ($95K more)
Schwenksville, PA 19473 89%112$138,819$476,300$248 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Geneva, IL 60134 89%637$152,727$448,900$249 cheaper homes ($116K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Saint Charles, IL 60175 88%643$181,352$519,700$221 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more single-family homes
Doylestown, PA 18902 87%130$161,267$668,200$301 pricier homes ($104K more)
Bristow, VA 20136 87%44$183,750$615,600$235 pricier homes ($51K more)
Mars, PA 16046 86%209$151,560$481,300$212 cheaper homes ($83K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Purcellville, VA 20132 86%52$181,875$776,300$274 pricier homes ($212K more)
Naperville, IL 60564 86%629$181,382$572,100$263 larger
Chalfont, PA 18914 85%123$148,824$491,300$272 cheaper homes ($73K less) · 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Collegeville, PA 19426 85%110$151,748$498,700$250 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Middletown, DE 19709 85%68$132,956$470,900$205 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger
Odessa, FL 33556 85%820$149,722$625,200$266 pricier homes ($61K more) · less walkable
South Lyon, MI 48178 85%432$131,558$410,500$203 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($154K less) · larger
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 85%629$153,495$419,900$249 cheaper homes ($145K less) · smaller · older homes
Frankfort, IL 60423 85%607$136,730$398,200$215 cheaper homes ($166K less)
Bolingbrook, IL 60490 85%625$150,531$395,000$217 cheaper homes ($170K less) · more single-family homes
Roswell, GA 30075 84%543$157,335$611,500$244 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Novi, MI 48374 84%427$182,827$577,700$222 Very close on everything we compare
Monument, CO 80132 84%1,500$161,670$773,100$225 pricier homes ($209K more) · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Jamison, PA 18929 83%126$179,380$627,700$274 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Victoria, MN 55386 83%955$192,458$565,900$206 higher income ($33K more) · smaller
Lake Zurich, IL 60047 83%632$176,081$541,300$263 larger · more single-family homes

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.