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 Smithsburg, MD 21783

Smithsburg: median income $100,750, home value $339,800, $174/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glen Rock, PA 17327 95%45$101,106$315,700$184 Very close on everything we compare
Littlestown, PA 17340 95%26$90,030$298,000$184 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Seven Valleys, PA 17360 95%47$97,896$303,200$175 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
West Point, VA 23181 95%150$95,699$290,600$191 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Poynette, WI 53955 95%665$101,134$332,000$201 smaller
Elmer, NJ 08318 94%128$92,558$302,000$198 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Delta, PA 17314 93%66$96,047$269,300$187 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Salem, WI 53168 93%585$97,035$300,200$243 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Lawson, MO 64062 93%885$92,277$274,400$163 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Bernville, PA 19506 92%95$106,422$341,900$192 Very close on everything we compare
Hebron, IN 46341 92%519$89,559$269,300$189 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Milan, MI 48160 92%361$103,453$265,300$209 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Rockwood, MI 48173 92%339$94,094$244,900$165 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Ellsworth, WI 54011 92%839$102,636$305,500$229 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Maple Lake, MN 55358 92%918$92,039$329,500$228 smaller
Peotone, IL 60468 92%549$104,625$294,000$194 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Spring Grove, PA 17362 91%40$98,702$292,100$179 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Centerburg, OH 43011 91%274$90,121$315,600$205 smaller
Baltimore, OH 43105 91%269$98,583$340,900$219 Very close on everything we compare
New Carlisle, IN 46552 91%488$91,341$237,900$168 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Foley, MN 56329 91%927$92,738$282,000$176 cheaper homes ($58K less) · younger residents
Atco, NJ 08004 90%144$111,738$267,600$207 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Franklinville, NJ 08322 90%135$121,686$320,900$229 Very close on everything we compare
Conestoga, PA 17516 90%68$103,942$313,500$185 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older residents
Hartville, OH 44632 90%218$91,061$267,500$199 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 5 min shorter commute

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.