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 Cambridge, MD 21613

Cambridge: median income $53,890, home value $283,900, $172/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Martinsburg, WV 25401 90%119$51,909$229,200$173 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Salisbury, NC 28144 90%315$52,568$226,700$159 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Petersburg, VA 23803 88%120$57,813$230,400$183 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · younger residents
Augusta, ME 04330 87%515$54,775$217,300$211 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Petersburg, VA 23805 87%119$60,807$233,400$173 cheaper homes ($51K less) · younger residents
Washington, NC 27889 87%214$53,179$194,200$179 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Albemarle, NC 28001 87%317$54,804$215,400$182 cheaper homes ($69K less) · more homeowners
Cullman, AL 35055 87%670$58,405$218,900$156 cheaper homes ($65K less) · more homeowners
Franklin, VA 23851 86%138$70,122$244,300$163 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Goldsboro, NC 27530 86%247$54,504$200,300$148 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger
Roxboro, NC 27573 86%217$45,736$175,000$167 cheaper homes ($109K less) · smaller
Wilkesboro, NC 28697 86%325$52,988$218,500$171 cheaper homes ($65K less) · more homeowners
Athens, AL 35611 86%656$57,377$225,600$158 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · newer homes
Chattanooga, TN 37412 86%563$62,508$209,900$175 cheaper homes ($74K less) · younger residents
Hot Springs National Park, AR 71901 86%976$53,514$190,500$152 cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
Claremont, NH 03743 85%385$59,625$206,600$190 cheaper homes ($77K less) · older homes
Rome, GA 30161 85%585$61,667$205,900$155 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Paris, KY 40361 85%442$63,333$233,000$146 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more homeowners
Weatherford, TX 76086 85%1,279$60,578$258,100$199 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Haltom City, TX 76117 85%1,250$51,670$211,700$186 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · younger residents
Athens, PA 18810 84%235$58,750$208,400$139 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Hopewell, VA 23860 84%110$62,141$206,500$195 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger
Farmville, VA 23901 84%154$55,886$229,400$175 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents
Edenton, NC 27932 84%173$53,490$233,400$200 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more homeowners
Gastonia, NC 28054 84%361$61,035$245,100$174 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · younger residents

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.