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 20721

Bowie: median income $163,105, home value $580,200, $214/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Doylestown, PA 18902 88%134$161,267$668,200$301 pricier homes ($88K more)
Gainesville, VA 20155 85%45$164,279$659,100$252 pricier homes ($79K more) · younger residents
Saint Charles, IL 60175 85%645$181,352$519,700$221 cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Medford, NJ 08055 84%124$155,710$496,400$259 cheaper homes ($84K less) · older homes
Dumfries, VA 22025 84%37$150,306$528,600$236 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller · younger residents
Schwenksville, PA 19473 83%116$138,819$476,300$248 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bristow, VA 20136 82%43$183,750$615,600$235 pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 82%631$153,495$419,900$249 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Plainfield, IL 60585 82%631$155,511$453,200$216 cheaper homes ($127K less) · younger residents
Englishtown, NJ 07726 81%161$149,197$647,100$356 pricier homes ($67K more) · 5 min longer commute
Newtown, PA 18940 81%135$157,414$655,000$316 pricier homes ($75K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Purcellville, VA 20132 81%53$181,875$776,300$274 pricier homes ($196K more) · smaller · younger residents
Haymarket, VA 20169 81%46$203,051$729,600$253 higher income ($40K more) · pricier homes ($149K more) · younger residents
South Lyon, MI 48178 81%435$131,558$410,500$203 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($170K less) · younger residents
Barrington, IL 60010 81%636$177,566$638,100$255 pricier homes ($58K more) · 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Naperville, IL 60564 81%631$181,382$572,100$263 larger · younger residents
Monroe, CT 06468 80%251$157,250$503,200$275 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller · older homes
Roswell, GA 30075 80%540$157,335$611,500$244 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · younger residents
Odessa, FL 33556 80%816$149,722$625,200$266 pricier homes ($45K more) · younger residents
Palm City, FL 34990 80%837$129,560$592,400$283 lower income ($34K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Lake Zurich, IL 60047 80%634$176,081$541,300$263 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Frankfort, IL 60423 80%609$136,730$398,200$215 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($182K less) · younger residents
Houston, TX 77094 80%1,247$139,932$477,500$208 cheaper homes ($103K less) · smaller · more renters
Morganville, NJ 07751 79%166$181,205$715,600$381 pricier homes ($135K more) · younger residents
Lebanon, NJ 08833 79%158$172,454$604,400$323 smaller · older 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.