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 Hagerstown, MD 21740

Hagerstown: median income $62,873, home value $262,300, $174/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Westland, MI 48185 95%349$60,854$194,000$167 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Gastonia, NC 28054 92%355$61,035$245,100$174 smaller
Petersburg, VA 23803 91%168$57,813$230,400$183 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Gretna, LA 70056 91%968$59,027$230,500$137 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Hurst, TX 76053 90%1,178$64,141$270,900$196 smaller
Jacksonville, FL 32210 89%685$61,050$225,600$164 cheaper homes ($37K less) · more walkable
Mesquite, TX 75150 89%1,151$65,440$238,100$164 5 min longer commute
Richmond, VA 23234 88%152$66,619$266,200$218 more single-family homes
Grand Prairie, TX 75051 88%1,173$58,245$227,400$190 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · younger residents
Houston, TX 77040 88%1,211$65,028$244,700$152 newer homes
Ephrata, PA 17522 87%91$74,828$285,200$189 smaller
Plant City, FL 33563 87%841$60,131$226,900$191 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Fairfield, OH 45014 87%364$75,661$232,400$170 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Davison, MI 48423 87%381$65,079$223,100$161 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · older residents
Greensboro, NC 27406 86%273$59,563$204,400$164 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Newark, OH 43055 86%249$63,974$203,100$172 cheaper homes ($59K less) · more single-family homes
Kenosha, WI 53140 86%564$58,006$206,700$190 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Houston, TX 77034 86%1,207$58,217$197,200$142 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Lewiston, ME 04240 85%496$55,393$235,100$196 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Vineland, NJ 08360 85%146$65,359$221,900$198 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more single-family homes
Lebanon, PA 17046 85%86$62,221$191,000$167 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Petersburg, VA 23805 85%170$60,807$233,400$173 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Jacksonville, FL 32244 85%689$62,204$241,700$167 newer homes
Louisville, KY 40219 85%440$55,720$204,200$167 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · more walkable
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 85%270$70,477$241,800$181 newer homes

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.