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 Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Gaithersburg: median income $92,800, home value $474,800, $268/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Manassas, VA 20109 94%30$89,962$421,100$279 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Kent, WA 98032 92%2,305$82,636$520,800$327 pricier homes ($46K more)
Alexandria, VA 22306 90%27$97,132$594,000$343 pricier homes ($119K more)
Hialeah, FL 33014 89%933$77,338$424,200$327 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Pompano Beach, FL 33065 89%907$74,226$434,100$271 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Federal Way, WA 98003 89%2,306$75,319$476,600$314 Very close on everything we compare
Stamford, CT 06902 87%234$94,843$510,400$399 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Framingham, MA 01702 86%371$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($108K more) · older homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33351 86%913$77,363$371,400$256 cheaper homes ($103K less) · more homeowners
Falls Church, VA 22041 85%20$92,636$452,300$311 Very close on everything we compare
Seattle, WA 98188 84%2,304$76,438$456,400$323 7 min shorter commute
Danbury, CT 06810 83%251$76,933$402,100$287 cheaper homes ($73K less) · less walkable
Hialeah, FL 33015 82%930$77,339$421,900$333 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Aurora, CO 80012 82%1,470$73,000$429,500$216 cheaper homes ($45K less) · more single-family homes
Lowell, MA 01854 81%390$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($63K less) · older homes
Hackensack, NJ 07601 81%205$84,277$393,700$388 cheaper homes ($81K less) · older residents · older homes
Hollywood, FL 33025 81%926$68,743$364,800$277 cheaper homes ($110K less) · larger
Beaverton, OR 97005 81%2,339$78,239$504,300$299 pricier homes ($30K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Long Branch, NJ 07740 80%188$79,870$578,800$453 pricier homes ($104K more) · older homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 80%920$66,100$383,400$347 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($91K less) · younger residents
Denver, CO 80231 80%1,473$76,502$500,600$232 pricier homes ($26K more)
Auburn, WA 98002 80%2,302$78,684$421,300$322 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Pompano Beach, FL 33073 79%904$97,412$500,700$296 pricier homes ($26K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324 79%917$85,000$379,700$262 cheaper homes ($95K less) · more homeowners
Kent, WA 98030 79%2,301$91,761$582,400$319 pricier homes ($108K more) · 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.