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 Sparrows Point, MD 21219

Sparrows Point: median income $110,438, home value $384,600, $243/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Leicester, MA 01524 95%315$102,099$436,200$278 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Oakdale, CT 06370 93%272$105,700$332,500$231 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Bristol, WI 53104 93%647$112,000$325,100$226 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Franksville, WI 53126 92%649$101,206$386,300$239 Very close on everything we compare
Oxford, MA 01540 91%312$110,579$376,100$302 Very close on everything we compare
Acushnet, MA 02743 91%337$89,593$434,000$288 pricier homes ($49K more)
Elmer, NJ 08318 91%72$92,558$302,000$198 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Mohnton, PA 19540 91%75$100,000$319,600$216 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Poquoson, VA 23662 91%145$120,972$400,300$217 Very close on everything we compare
Somers, CT 06071 90%283$126,500$396,500$237 Very close on everything we compare
Preston, CT 06365 90%283$117,045$361,400$274 smaller
Wolcott, CT 06716 90%245$111,225$325,300$236 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Woodbine, NJ 08270 90%88$99,592$303,400$233 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Sanborn, NY 14132 90%298$97,210$284,900$209 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Poynette, WI 53955 90%731$101,134$332,000$201 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Ellsworth, WI 54011 90%905$102,636$305,500$229 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Granby, MA 01033 89%293$119,297$352,600$277 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
East Taunton, MA 02718 89%338$109,500$469,200$300 pricier homes ($85K more)
Hollis Center, ME 04042 89%427$95,950$338,900$270 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, CT 06234 89%294$96,207$315,200$243 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Bernville, PA 19506 89%86$106,422$341,900$192 cheaper homes ($43K less) · newer homes
Leesport, PA 19533 89%85$105,179$313,600$183 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Baltimore, OH 43105 89%332$98,583$340,900$219 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Washington, MI 48095 89%422$107,393$406,700$208 smaller
Cannon Falls, MN 55009 89%918$91,295$331,300$208 cheaper homes ($53K less)

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.