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.

Reset

Towns most like Clarksville, MD 21029

Clarksville: median income $243,542, home value $912,100, $285/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Austin, TX 78739 93%1,338$238,559$808,600$292 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 92%37$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 pricier homes ($109K more)
Clifton, VA 20124 90%38$221,060$884,800$300 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Bolton, MA 01740 86%357$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($116K less) · smaller
Great Falls, VA 22066 86%24$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($398K more) · older homes
Southlake, TX 76092 86%1,205$250,000+*$1,007,500$367 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Chester, NJ 07930 85%162$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($141K less) · smaller · older homes
Austin, TX 78733 85%1,332$206,368$1,008,600$407 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller
Southborough, MA 01772 84%355$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($70K less) · older homes
Belle Mead, NJ 08502 84%149$227,242$816,700$384 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Groton, MA 01450 83%367$193,292$743,400$325 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($169K less)
Hopkinton, MA 01748 83%352$222,801$802,700$357 cheaper homes ($109K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Skillman, NJ 08558 83%146$236,016$910,200$383 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Sudbury, MA 01776 82%362$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($77K more) · older homes
Warren, NJ 07059 81%162$212,479$921,500$440 lower income ($31K less) · older homes
Chester Springs, PA 19425 81%93$211,739$656,700$220 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($255K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Lake Forest, IL 60045 80%607$233,125$923,500$404 larger · older homes
Hinsdale, IL 60521 80%603$249,200$1,032,800$405 pricier homes ($121K more) · more walkable · older homes
Harvard, MA 01451 79%361$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Windham, NH 03087 79%385$189,583$723,300$322 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($189K less)
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 79%191$236,023$1,265,000$456 pricier homes ($353K more) · older homes
Chesterfield, MO 63005 79%735$198,469$701,600$219 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($211K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Colleyville, TX 76034 79%1,207$217,914$782,300$281 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger
Easton, CT 06612 78%239$222,604$783,100$323 cheaper homes ($129K less) · smaller · older homes
Westford, MA 01886 77%370$187,198$748,500$371 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($164K less) · larger

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.