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 Montgomery Village, MD 20886

Montgomery Village: median income $98,542, home value $386,500, $236/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Schaumburg, IL 60194 87%606$97,994$329,700$251 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Falls Church, VA 22041 84%23$92,636$452,300$311 pricier homes ($66K more) · more renters
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324 83%919$85,000$379,700$262 7 min shorter commute
Des Plaines, IL 60016 82%595$86,571$320,400$241 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Wheeling, IL 60090 82%599$85,355$264,800$228 cheaper homes ($122K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Aurora, CO 80014 81%1,470$73,210$416,200$212 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($30K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Philadelphia, PA 19128 80%120$93,173$353,500$256 cheaper homes ($33K less) · older homes
Philadelphia, PA 19154 80%133$95,027$291,600$242 cheaper homes ($95K less) · older homes
Alexandria, VA 22309 80%32$107,376$567,200$327 pricier homes ($181K more) · more single-family homes
Peekskill, NY 10566 78%226$85,954$395,600$330 older homes
Philadelphia, PA 19114 78%132$77,708$293,500$236 cheaper homes ($93K less) · older residents
Alexandria, VA 22306 78%29$97,132$594,000$343 pricier homes ($208K more) · more renters
Prospect Heights, IL 60070 78%598$84,775$343,000$240 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · older residents
Palatine, IL 60074 78%603$84,089$315,500$233 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Centreville, VA 20121 77%29$129,947$520,200$320 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($134K more)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33351 77%916$77,363$371,400$256 more renters
Chicago, IL 60656 77%592$95,766$348,700$275 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
North Brunswick, NJ 08902 76%169$121,071$433,800$319 pricier homes ($47K more) · more single-family homes
Bensalem, PA 19020 76%136$83,223$362,800$256 larger · more single-family homes
Philadelphia, PA 19115 76%131$70,054$345,000$250 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($42K less) · older residents
Miami, FL 33180 76%929$91,055$501,000$330 pricier homes ($115K more) · older residents
Parlin, NJ 08859 75%177$99,882$445,800$372 pricier homes ($59K more) · more single-family homes
Manassas, VA 20110 75%34$118,486$464,300$271 pricier homes ($78K more) · more single-family homes
Bloomingdale, IL 60108 75%602$103,392$382,000$232 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Woodridge, IL 60517 75%598$99,024$361,700$229 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.