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 Thurmont, MD 21788

Thurmont: median income $98,856, home value $379,200, $208/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Evans City, PA 16033 96%162$108,071$333,100$200 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Mohnton, PA 19540 96%87$100,000$319,600$216 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Romeo, MI 48065 96%368$106,053$373,100$204 Very close on everything we compare
Glen Rock, PA 17327 95%37$101,106$315,700$184 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Baltimore, OH 43105 95%278$98,583$340,900$219 cheaper homes ($38K less)
White Lake, MI 48386 95%379$89,702$321,100$211 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Milton, WI 53563 95%639$89,528$293,800$229 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Poynette, WI 53955 95%674$101,134$332,000$201 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Brooklyn, CT 06234 94%322$96,207$315,200$243 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Elmer, NJ 08318 94%119$92,558$302,000$198 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Spring Grove, PA 17362 94%33$98,702$292,100$179 cheaper homes ($87K less)
East Troy, WI 53120 94%613$96,345$336,300$260 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Salem, WI 53168 94%594$97,035$300,200$243 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Cannon Falls, MN 55009 94%860$91,295$331,300$208 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Elverson, PA 19520 93%93$100,088$417,200$201 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · older residents
Old Hickory, TN 37138 93%553$85,149$363,000$233 larger
Hartville, OH 44632 93%227$91,061$267,500$199 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Highland, MI 48357 93%387$94,954$360,700$203 Very close on everything we compare
Bristol, WI 53104 93%590$112,000$325,100$226 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Edgerton, WI 53534 93%645$89,045$294,900$230 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Sauk City, WI 53583 93%687$97,286$344,000$227 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Ellsworth, WI 54011 93%848$102,636$305,500$229 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Wyoming, MN 55092 93%885$95,337$363,900$206 newer homes
Peotone, IL 60468 93%559$104,625$294,000$194 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller
Milton, VT 05468 92%411$114,709$372,200$255 Very close on everything we compare

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.