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 Forest Hill, MD 21050

Forest Hill: median income $125,208, home value $456,800, $204/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sugar Grove, IL 60554 97%648$122,734$386,400$205 cheaper homes ($70K less)
West Grove, PA 19390 96%35$128,858$417,900$222 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Mokena, IL 60448 95%618$120,761$385,900$208 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Lemont, IL 60439 94%624$121,724$480,800$264 Very close on everything we compare
Frankfort, IL 60423 93%614$136,730$398,200$215 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Valencia, PA 16059 92%202$110,828$408,500$243 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Schwenksville, PA 19473 92%68$138,819$476,300$248 Very close on everything we compare
Gilbertsville, PA 19525 92%66$140,403$405,400$216 cheaper homes ($51K less)
South Lyon, MI 48178 92%427$131,558$410,500$203 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Oxford, MI 48371 92%422$111,239$370,200$196 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Algonquin, IL 60102 92%647$132,949$349,900$206 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger
Tinley Park, IL 60487 92%615$131,793$351,300$189 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Easton, PA 18040 91%102$107,016$360,800$220 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Douglassville, PA 19518 91%59$114,181$354,700$210 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Denver, NC 28037 91%378$111,703$491,900$235 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Fleming Island, FL 32003 91%721$116,611$422,400$209 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Sunbury, OH 43074 91%345$119,296$426,100$205 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Dyer, IN 46311 91%598$116,652$331,600$184 cheaper homes ($125K less)
Clarkston, MI 48348 91%425$129,410$444,500$212 Very close on everything we compare
Bartlett, IL 60103 91%639$133,793$379,000$232 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Belchertown, MA 01007 90%280$108,125$371,400$258 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Sewell, NJ 08080 90%71$122,262$357,000$229 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger
Saint John, IN 46373 90%596$127,146$408,900$187 cheaper homes ($48K less) · more single-family homes
Wadsworth, IL 60083 90%631$123,125$323,200$185 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller
Elburn, IL 60119 90%651$130,722$402,300$215 cheaper homes ($55K less) · 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.