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 Darlington, MD 21034

Darlington: median income $78,047, home value $401,500, $218/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Auberry, CA 93602 96%2,326$78,016$370,700$221 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Germansville, PA 18053 94%78$83,370$303,100$176 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Brownsville, OR 97327 94%2,388$81,267$396,200$241 Very close on everything we compare
Deary, ID 83823 93%2,064$78,345$409,300$225 smaller
Potlatch, ID 83855 93%2,082$84,423$298,300$223 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Effingham, NH 03882 92%389$76,607$322,700$294 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Zumbro Falls, MN 55991 92%889$82,292$350,000$270 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Idaho City, ID 83631 92%2,036$80,714$409,800$264 Very close on everything we compare
Andover, NH 03216 91%348$88,311$358,800$194 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Kirkwood, PA 17536 91%14$76,042$339,200$217 cheaper homes ($62K less) · younger residents
Silver Lake, WI 53170 91%652$79,931$284,400$237 cheaper homes ($117K less)
Glenwood City, WI 54013 91%894$87,500$307,600$179 cheaper homes ($94K less)
McCammon, ID 83250 91%1,868$73,555$322,000$217 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Oak Run, CA 96069 91%2,392$71,250$381,900$239 smaller
Clatskanie, OR 97016 91%2,384$79,375$336,000$232 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Steep Falls, ME 04085 90%405$92,246$288,600$253 cheaper homes ($113K less)
York Springs, PA 17372 90%53$82,313$282,700$158 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Mount Pleasant, NC 28124 90%372$80,778$310,500$224 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Neosho, WI 53059 90%684$91,114$342,800$232 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Spring Valley, WI 54767 90%894$83,917$265,000$190 cheaper homes ($137K less)
Annandale, MN 55302 90%987$83,235$347,000$230 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
New Plymouth, ID 83655 90%2,090$84,542$371,300$261 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Oakboro, NC 28129 89%379$69,906$266,800$209 cheaper homes ($135K less) · larger
Andersonville, TN 37705 89%489$79,262$286,400$242 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger · newer homes
Memphis, MI 48041 89%410$75,677$316,500$188 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger

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.