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 Silver Spring, MD 20903

Silver Spring: median income $80,768, home value $485,700, $258/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Yonkers, NY 10705 83%210$67,918$505,400$267 larger · older residents
Framingham, MA 01702 82%368$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Stockton, CA 95207 82%2,374$69,455$432,800$261 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Lynn, MA 01905 80%395$84,333$499,200$377 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Brockton, MA 02301 80%377$74,214$449,400$321 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Mattapan, MA 02126 79%382$65,709$542,700$400 pricier homes ($57K more) · older homes
Kearny, NJ 07032 79%193$79,154$459,400$364 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · older residents
Richmond, CA 94801 79%2,430$81,728$609,000$378 pricier homes ($123K more) · more single-family homes
Federal Way, WA 98003 79%2,320$75,319$476,600$314 larger · 8 min shorter commute · newer homes
Mount Vernon, NY 10553 78%213$84,478$551,200$287 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · older homes
Haverstraw, NY 10927 78%220$75,167$361,100$272 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Pompano Beach, FL 33065 78%900$74,226$434,100$271 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Revere, MA 02151 77%391$86,969$597,400$421 pricier homes ($112K more) · larger
Yonkers, NY 10703 77%212$89,773$527,600$341 pricier homes ($42K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Kent, WA 98032 77%2,319$82,636$520,800$327 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Danbury, CT 06810 76%249$76,933$402,100$287 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
East Orange, NJ 07017 76%191$58,853$374,800$252 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger
Jersey City, NJ 07305 76%193$76,527$450,800$353 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Peekskill, NY 10566 76%226$85,954$395,600$330 cheaper homes ($90K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Washington, DC 20019 76%9$58,296$456,800$252 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Vallejo, CA 94590 76%2,421$65,290$530,500$347 pricier homes ($45K more) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Lowell, MA 01854 75%388$72,709$412,000$330 cheaper homes ($74K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Plainfield, NJ 07060 75%176$78,602$393,800$348 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Long Branch, NJ 07740 75%182$79,870$578,800$453 pricier homes ($93K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Staten Island, NY 10301 75%190$85,609$684,700$389 pricier homes ($199K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute

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.