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 Gwynn Oak, MD 21207

Gwynn Oak: median income $67,060, home value $260,300, $187/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Waterbury, CT 06708 95%247$67,364$218,500$202 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Whitehall, PA 18052 94%112$75,665$262,900$201 smaller
Pottstown, PA 19464 94%88$79,787$264,400$197 Very close on everything we compare
Decatur, GA 30032 94%569$62,765$273,600$185 Very close on everything we compare
Allentown, PA 18103 93%110$72,895$272,700$193 5 min shorter commute
Norwich, CT 06360 91%288$65,539$245,700$203 6 min shorter commute
Bridgeport, CT 06606 91%227$73,372$289,000$271 pricier homes ($29K more)
Milwaukee, WI 53221 91%634$63,265$219,600$203 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Gardner, MA 01440 90%334$67,440$303,500$232 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Meriden, CT 06450 90%257$71,250$242,600$211 8 min shorter commute
Joliet, IL 60435 90%618$76,369$235,500$184 Very close on everything we compare
New Castle, DE 19720 89%61$75,403$265,000$203 Very close on everything we compare
Norfolk, VA 23503 89%167$67,649$293,100$223 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · more renters
Minneapolis, MN 55421 89%931$70,772$277,300$195 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Meriden, CT 06451 88%256$71,255$239,800$217 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
York, PA 17403 88%43$75,384$220,500$147 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Cleveland, OH 44130 88%302$69,655$195,500$188 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Cincinnati, OH 45238 88%422$66,277$183,900$149 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Bristol, CT 06010 87%258$79,314$277,900$229 6 min shorter commute
Torrington, CT 06790 87%256$70,912$215,600$191 cheaper homes ($45K less) · less walkable
Trenton, NJ 08638 87%123$66,875$245,100$257 smaller
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 87%127$79,949$267,200$241 Very close on everything we compare
Bristol, PA 19007 87%114$65,511$290,300$256 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 87%77$82,005$252,400$217 smaller
Newark, DE 19713 87%59$76,493$292,600$215 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute

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.