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 Bel Air, MD 21014

Bel Air: median income $116,970, home value $429,900, $207/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Marlton, NJ 08053 94%81$118,670$397,600$259 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Langhorne, PA 19047 92%89$109,530$467,000$285 pricier homes ($37K more)
Norristown, PA 19403 92%67$104,071$375,100$238 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Bloomingdale, IL 60108 92%635$103,392$382,000$232 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Carol Stream, IL 60188 92%638$103,628$337,400$236 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Woodridge, IL 60517 92%631$99,024$361,700$229 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Darien, IL 60561 92%628$112,549$404,300$246 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Smyrna, GA 30082 91%599$120,372$438,700$200 Very close on everything we compare
Gurnee, IL 60031 91%635$111,034$335,100$199 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Orland Park, IL 60462 91%619$96,526$348,900$203 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Downers Grove, IL 60516 91%630$115,480$441,100$261 Very close on everything we compare
Lumberton, NJ 08048 90%87$113,440$432,100$232 smaller
Mount Holly, NJ 08060 90%89$109,292$338,100$234 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Canton, MI 48187 90%418$120,321$364,200$196 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Palatine, IL 60067 90%636$125,446$426,600$257 Very close on everything we compare
Westminster, CO 80031 90%1,518$107,422$535,300$249 pricier homes ($105K more)
Freehold, NJ 07728 89%121$114,072$505,400$342 pricier homes ($76K more)
Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 89%82$118,802$357,200$249 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Macungie, PA 18062 89%80$110,675$380,200$201 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Perkasie, PA 18944 89%82$130,997$426,100$248 less walkable
North Wales, PA 19454 89%75$118,177$457,900$265 pricier homes ($28K more) · older residents
Phoenixville, PA 19460 89%60$124,050$455,900$251 pricier homes ($26K more)
Royersford, PA 19468 89%64$108,534$402,800$246 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Osseo, MN 55369 89%953$112,144$376,400$205 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Mundelein, IL 60060 89%636$110,335$326,700$233 cheaper homes ($103K less)

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.