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 West Friendship, MD 21794

West Friendship: median income $231,466, home value $999,400, $230/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dunstable, MA 01827 85%369$208,512$674,000$306 cheaper homes ($325K less) · larger
Millstone Township, NJ 08510 83%138$225,966$740,700$318 cheaper homes ($259K less) · larger
Thornton, PA 19373 83%87$192,708$755,800$277 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($244K less) · younger residents
Waterford, VA 20197 81%36$190,703$1,080,200$310 lower income ($41K less) · pricier homes ($81K more) · more renters
Millstone Township, NJ 08535 80%137$209,732$734,100$329 cheaper homes ($265K less) · larger
Pittstown, NJ 08867 80%139$204,583$601,600$276 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($398K less) · larger
Hamilton, VA 20158 80%39$211,522$765,800$291 cheaper homes ($234K less) · larger · more renters
Bolton, MA 01740 77%354$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($203K less) · larger
Glencoe, MO 63038 77%737$186,450$580,800$193 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($419K less) · larger
Newfields, NH 03856 76%405$197,885$646,400$371 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($353K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Chester, NJ 07930 75%159$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($228K less) · larger · older homes
Broad Run, VA 20137 75%52$191,974$720,900$355 lower income ($39K less) · cheaper homes ($279K less) · 6 min longer commute
Round Hill, VA 20141 75%45$210,563$736,700$287 cheaper homes ($263K less) · larger · younger residents
Driftwood, TX 78619 75%1,350$183,393$810,600$339 lower income ($48K less) · cheaper homes ($189K less) · larger
Wayne, IL 60184 74%619$163,750$642,700$239 lower income ($68K less) · cheaper homes ($357K less) · older residents
West Newbury, MA 01985 73%395$179,500$808,200$387 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($191K less) · larger
Easton, CT 06612 73%236$222,604$783,100$323 cheaper homes ($216K less) · larger · older homes
Oakland, MI 48363 73%403$179,375$618,200$226 lower income ($52K less) · cheaper homes ($381K less) · larger
Bucyrus, KS 66013 73%951$164,320$724,500$234 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($275K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Harvard, MA 01451 72%358$214,792$856,200$349 cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger · older homes
Norfolk, MA 02056 72%354$200,720$725,200$344 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($274K less) · larger
Brookline, NH 03033 72%365$171,046$544,400$245 lower income ($60K less) · cheaper homes ($455K less) · larger
Defiance, MO 63341 72%745$170,598$606,800$224 lower income ($61K less) · cheaper homes ($393K less) · larger
Boxford, MA 01921 71%389$200,672$904,200$357 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger
Millington, NJ 07946 71%161$208,587$801,700$417 cheaper homes ($198K less) · older 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.