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 Ridgely, MD 21660

Ridgely: median income $80,469, home value $359,300, $255/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Shipman, VA 22971 95%179$79,135$319,000$260 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Big Lake, AK 99652 93%3,394$78,578$294,800$312 cheaper homes ($65K less)
White Bluff, TN 37187 91%651$76,228$300,800$224 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Leonard, TX 75452 90%1,196$69,479$295,900$188 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Sheridan, IL 60551 88%696$86,786$301,600$187 cheaper homes ($58K less) · older residents
Rushville, OH 43150 87%354$75,284$271,500$264 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Hindsville, AR 72738 87%1,002$86,296$229,000$211 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller
Wiggins, CO 80654 87%1,496$91,864$434,300$191 pricier homes ($75K more)
Vernonia, OR 97064 87%2,424$67,317$383,600$298 older residents
Woodlawn, TN 37191 86%658$91,455$271,000$197 cheaper homes ($88K less) · less walkable
Trenton, TX 75490 86%1,200$92,500$361,500$190 more homeowners
Byers, CO 80103 86%1,508$102,656$501,900$235 pricier homes ($143K more)
Littlerock, CA 93543 86%2,330$72,488$388,400$327 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Sterling, CT 06377 85%287$97,308$275,900$298 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Goochland, VA 23063 85%141$81,553$363,200$255 older residents
Cross Plains, TN 37049 85%612$90,048$368,800$315 Very close on everything we compare
Shoshone, ID 83352 85%2,010$70,057$259,500$202 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Jetersville, VA 23083 84%165$82,096$309,900$239 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · older residents
Stanfield, NC 28163 84%361$72,386$313,900$195 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Lula, GA 30554 84%534$91,619$305,300$198 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · older residents
Cedar Hill, TN 37032 84%629$88,157$287,200$256 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Foreston, MN 56330 84%1,019$84,519$278,300$272 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Palmdale, CA 93591 84%2,319$63,389$347,500$271 larger · 5 min longer commute
Holtwood, PA 17532 83%66$84,562$348,600$312 7 min shorter commute
Shawboro, NC 27973 83%179$86,375$322,200$223 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 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.