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 Shady Side, MD 20764

Shady Side: median income $118,857, home value $432,700, $298/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Holmes, NY 12531 92%239$129,028$475,400$312 pricier homes ($43K more)
Kintnersville, PA 18930 92%136$127,072$524,000$253 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller
Alton, NH 03809 91%421$106,397$387,500$270 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Candia, NH 03034 90%398$131,350$412,700$294 younger residents
Sanbornville, NH 03872 89%433$109,583$334,400$278 cheaper homes ($98K less) · more homeowners
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804 89%146$107,333$462,000$271 pricier homes ($29K more) · younger residents
Lanexa, VA 23089 89%100$108,802$400,600$252 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · newer homes
Chepachet, RI 02814 88%331$110,764$390,500$298 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Greenfield, NH 03047 88%373$103,603$350,300$298 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Bradford, NH 03221 88%386$109,803$325,400$337 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Columbia, NJ 07832 88%164$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($78K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Copake, NY 12516 88%274$128,750$309,700$292 cheaper homes ($123K less) · smaller
Salt Point, NY 12578 88%250$108,194$372,800$268 cheaper homes ($60K less) · older homes
Cool, CA 95614 88%2,368$133,426$584,600$262 pricier homes ($152K more)
East Haddam, CT 06423 87%283$107,549$373,700$306 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Boyce, VA 22620 87%83$99,896$539,300$224 pricier homes ($107K more)
Rhododendron, OR 97049 87%2,339$92,056$474,200$284 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Oakham, MA 01068 86%337$102,000$420,100$265 smaller · less walkable
Lyndeborough, NH 03082 86%374$120,313$397,700$220 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Temple, NH 03084 86%367$94,107$401,000$293 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Clarksboro, NJ 08020 86%96$134,490$359,800$242 cheaper homes ($73K less) · more homeowners
Barto, PA 19504 86%118$98,859$388,300$225 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Amissville, VA 20106 86%82$108,469$521,900$281 pricier homes ($89K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Catlett, VA 20119 86%62$115,757$560,700$260 pricier homes ($128K more)
Bluemont, VA 20135 86%74$114,219$573,500$347 pricier homes ($141K more) · younger residents

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.