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 21742

Hagerstown: median income $86,288, home value $304,800, $184/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Coatesville, PA 19320 97%102$90,601$330,100$209 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Elizabethtown, PA 17022 96%67$86,767$294,000$186 Very close on everything we compare
Belleville, MI 48111 96%349$76,595$261,500$184 cheaper homes ($43K less)
North Royalton, OH 44133 95%242$83,717$292,500$184 Very close on everything we compare
Sterling Heights, MI 48313 95%343$88,065$266,900$175 cheaper homes ($38K less)
West Bend, WI 53090 95%602$86,152$282,600$205 smaller
West Bend, WI 53095 95%601$80,830$305,400$207 Very close on everything we compare
Cincinnati, OH 45245 94%354$80,147$285,900$182 smaller
Harrison Township, MI 48045 94%335$80,366$262,400$193 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Gettysburg, PA 17325 93%28$80,948$287,200$191 Very close on everything we compare
York, PA 17408 93%51$94,565$251,800$163 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Reading, PA 19606 93%107$85,557$245,600$171 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Goodlettsville, TN 37072 93%542$78,123$378,100$221 pricier homes ($73K more)
Batavia, OH 45103 93%347$79,793$264,200$182 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Valparaiso, IN 46383 93%507$76,224$279,900$179 Very close on everything we compare
Orange Park, FL 32073 92%694$76,455$287,600$181 Very close on everything we compare
Lakeland, FL 33809 92%830$70,066$292,000$190 Very close on everything we compare
Brunswick, OH 44212 92%244$91,441$264,000$202 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Waterford, MI 48327 92%362$74,788$257,500$194 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Hartford, WI 53027 92%607$91,150$332,500$222 pricier homes ($28K more)
Elkhorn, WI 53121 92%602$85,643$313,500$222 smaller
Blue Springs, MO 64015 92%888$84,518$268,900$160 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Arlington, TX 76012 92%1,181$88,141$334,600$172 pricier homes ($30K more)
Arlington, TX 76017 92%1,186$90,083$311,600$180 Very close on everything we compare
Mays Landing, NJ 08330 91%160$77,167$236,600$213 cheaper homes ($68K less)

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.