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 Parkville, MD 21234

Parkville: median income $83,517, home value $288,100, $183/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pottstown, PA 19464 95%78$79,787$264,400$197 Very close on everything we compare
Bristol, CT 06010 91%247$79,314$277,900$229 Very close on everything we compare
Vernon Rockville, CT 06066 90%273$85,356$275,500$226 smaller
Westfield, MA 01085 89%274$88,728$326,100$240 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Whitehall, PA 18052 89%103$75,665$262,900$201 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Allentown, PA 18103 89%101$72,895$272,700$193 Very close on everything we compare
Des Plaines, IL 60016 89%621$86,571$320,400$241 pricier homes ($32K more)
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 89%632$90,774$306,300$241 smaller
Leominster, MA 01453 88%331$84,296$381,300$280 pricier homes ($93K more) · smaller
Lancaster, PA 17603 88%44$77,084$262,400$196 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Saint Paul, MN 55119 88%924$81,865$277,500$184 younger residents
Palatine, IL 60074 88%630$84,089$315,500$233 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · newer homes
Hamden, CT 06514 87%234$88,900$270,800$217 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Blackwood, NJ 08012 87%85$95,451$289,700$225 smaller · more single-family homes · newer homes
Newburgh, NY 12550 87%198$85,697$340,900$244 pricier homes ($53K more)
York, PA 17403 87%40$75,384$220,500$147 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Bensalem, PA 19020 87%99$83,223$362,800$256 pricier homes ($75K more) · newer homes
Newark, DE 19713 87%48$76,493$292,600$215 smaller
Burnsville, MN 55337 87%933$84,110$349,100$180 pricier homes ($61K more) · newer homes
Glendale Heights, IL 60139 87%629$86,372$261,800$220 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · newer homes
Manchester, CT 06040 86%268$83,422$259,400$224 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Riverside, NJ 08075 86%96$94,407$307,400$243 smaller · more single-family homes
York, PA 17404 86%44$78,506$195,800$163 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
New Castle, DE 19720 86%50$75,403$265,000$203 Very close on everything we compare
Meriden, CT 06450 85%246$71,250$242,600$211 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 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.