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 Chestertown, MD 21620

Chestertown: median income $80,530, home value $347,500, $228/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ellsworth, ME 04605 93%540$77,377$256,900$244 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Versailles, KY 40383 93%474$85,213$312,500$186 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Lake Mills, WI 53551 93%718$94,401$357,400$229 Very close on everything we compare
Ashland, VA 23005 92%127$89,335$402,700$256 pricier homes ($55K more)
Mary Esther, FL 32569 92%856$77,718$326,000$215 younger residents
Old Hickory, TN 37138 92%611$85,149$363,000$233 larger
Chelsea, MI 48118 92%468$88,278$357,200$219 older residents
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 92%460$87,145$313,400$217 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Gray, ME 04039 91%439$95,125$357,500$270 smaller
Topsham, ME 04086 91%457$91,028$360,800$296 Very close on everything we compare
Bristol, VT 05443 91%374$88,594$356,600$238 smaller
Elkhorn, WI 53121 91%693$85,643$313,500$222 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Lake Geneva, WI 53147 91%686$83,566$369,100$287 Very close on everything we compare
Baldwin City, KS 66006 91%1,027$80,960$345,800$209 smaller · younger residents
Zelienople, PA 16063 90%239$95,893$339,000$246 smaller
Lutz, FL 33549 90%848$89,343$385,900$248 pricier homes ($38K more)
Canton, OH 44718 90%305$88,113$297,900$191 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Evansville, WI 53536 90%730$87,667$304,900$209 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Bellville, TX 77418 90%1,309$90,611$344,400$174 Very close on everything we compare
Belmont, NC 28012 89%387$83,391$374,100$240 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · newer homes
Mount Holly, NC 28120 89%383$78,231$321,500$210 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Madison, GA 30650 89%565$71,599$336,400$197 newer homes
Wadsworth, OH 44281 89%324$89,131$278,800$186 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
East Troy, WI 53120 89%688$96,345$336,300$260 Very close on everything we compare
East Helena, MT 59635 89%1,866$83,740$395,600$277 pricier homes ($48K more) · 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.