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 Catonsville, MD 21228

Catonsville: median income $112,656, home value $404,700, $239/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Prospect, IL 60056 97%617$101,922$397,200$272 Very close on everything we compare
Lombard, IL 60148 96%618$100,616$344,100$252 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Norristown, PA 19403 94%94$104,071$375,100$238 cheaper homes ($30K less)
La Grange, IL 60525 94%609$116,918$438,000$296 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Trenton, NJ 08619 92%127$105,946$352,500$300 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Lansdale, PA 19446 92%101$106,310$441,100$257 pricier homes ($36K more)
Langhorne, PA 19047 91%116$109,530$467,000$285 pricier homes ($62K more) · newer homes
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 91%619$99,743$390,000$261 smaller
Pittsburgh, PA 15237 90%196$109,895$326,700$216 cheaper homes ($78K less)
Cary, NC 27511 90%267$107,860$456,000$286 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · newer homes
Arlington Heights, IL 60004 90%620$128,979$424,200$280 Very close on everything we compare
Wallingford, CT 06492 89%255$105,061$353,600$262 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Phoenixville, PA 19460 89%87$124,050$455,900$251 pricier homes ($51K more) · newer homes
Palatine, IL 60067 89%623$125,446$426,600$257 Very close on everything we compare
Downers Grove, IL 60515 89%617$123,197$461,200$308 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Downers Grove, IL 60516 89%616$115,480$441,100$261 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 88%102$114,012$372,200$275 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Marlton, NJ 08053 88%106$118,670$397,600$259 newer homes
Bordentown, NJ 08505 88%124$112,845$362,500$263 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Allentown, PA 18104 88%112$94,601$336,400$195 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Media, PA 19063 88%84$127,368$548,900$303 pricier homes ($144K more)
Satellite Beach, FL 32937 88%798$101,184$465,600$298 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Westlake, OH 44145 88%311$112,200$368,200$207 cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer homes
Saint Charles, IL 60174 88%633$104,534$362,200$254 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · less walkable
Darien, IL 60561 88%614$112,549$404,300$246 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.