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 Ellicott City, MD 21042

Ellicott City: median income $190,061, home value $706,400, $274/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Barrington, IL 60010 97%623$177,566$638,100$255 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Roswell, GA 30075 93%552$157,335$611,500$244 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($95K less)
Naperville, IL 60565 93%615$164,447$519,900$267 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($187K less)
Westford, MA 01886 92%364$187,198$748,500$371 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Flower Mound, TX 75022 91%1,207$177,357$657,400$258 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · newer homes
Bedford, NH 03110 90%376$167,418$612,100$302 cheaper homes ($94K less) · smaller
Northville, MI 48168 90%409$187,589$582,600$224 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller · newer homes
Excelsior, MN 55331 90%939$159,450$737,000$273 lower income ($31K less) · pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Lake Zurich, IL 60047 90%621$176,081$541,300$263 cheaper homes ($165K less)
Alpharetta, GA 30022 89%546$153,294$635,300$238 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($71K less)
Marietta, GA 30068 89%557$150,101$599,400$228 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($107K less)
Libertyville, IL 60048 89%616$173,975$551,200$288 cheaper homes ($155K less)
Doylestown, PA 18902 88%120$161,267$668,200$301 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Chadds Ford, PA 19317 88%79$174,408$624,900$245 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Naperville, IL 60564 88%618$181,382$572,100$263 cheaper homes ($134K less) · 6 min longer commute
Pennington, NJ 08534 87%132$175,573$573,000$324 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller
Rochester, MI 48306 87%406$163,684$546,000$213 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller
Littleton, CO 80126 87%1,495$169,882$782,000$267 pricier homes ($76K more)
Randolph, NJ 07869 86%163$169,497$665,700$351 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bridgewater, NJ 08807 86%149$168,696$591,200$369 cheaper homes ($115K less)
Midlothian, VA 23113 86%129$142,344$614,100$235 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Brentwood, TN 37027 86%588$154,578$931,700$346 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($225K more)
Franklin, TN 37069 86%595$157,939$815,600$349 lower income ($32K less) · pricier homes ($109K more) · smaller
Deerfield, IL 60015 86%609$183,125$606,000$302 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller · more walkable
Groton, MA 01450 85%360$193,292$743,400$325 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller

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.