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 Fruitland, MD 21826

Fruitland: median income $64,946, home value $223,100, $183/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fort Branch, IN 47648 91%647$65,000$213,000$168 Very close on everything we compare
Perham, MN 56573 90%1,162$68,770$286,500$183 pricier homes ($63K more)
Webb City, MO 64870 89%1,031$68,300$177,700$152 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Monte Vista, CO 81144 88%1,656$64,662$234,200$191 older residents · older homes
Delhi, NY 13753 87%277$70,000$216,200$160 older homes
Coldwater, OH 45828 86%504$72,703$252,100$132 pricier homes ($29K more)
Volga, SD 57071 86%1,176$77,138$246,000— smaller
Gering, NE 69341 86%1,495$73,638$185,700$194 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Mansfield, PA 16933 85%253$65,096$210,300$146 older homes
Belden, MS 38826 85%786$75,862$253,700$172 pricier homes ($31K more)
Williamsburg, IA 52361 85%897$60,992$211,200$145 older residents
Saint Peter, MN 56082 85%1,036$71,456$275,200$169 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Carterville, IL 62918 85%734$70,920$200,200$135 larger
Colby, KS 67701 85%1,365$70,250$177,300— cheaper homes ($46K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Wichita, KS 67219 84%1,178$70,557$163,300$142 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger
Omaha, NE 68138 84%1,105$86,007$237,200$189 larger
David City, NE 68632 84%1,157$70,242$176,400$143 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older homes
Blanding, UT 84511 84%1,835$73,218$328,800$181 pricier homes ($106K more)
Dover Foxcroft, ME 04426 83%578$63,491$164,800$162 cheaper homes ($58K less) · older residents
Tifton, GA 31793 83%654$83,693$206,900$172 larger
Birmingham, AL 35210 83%700$73,061$255,800$191 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · older residents
Alcoa, TN 37701 83%493$66,132$281,100$252 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Tupelo, MS 38804 83%777$64,420$219,700$155 larger · older residents
Rossford, OH 43460 83%478$73,882$174,000$186 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents · older homes
Rothschild, WI 54474 83%852$81,635$193,600$147 cheaper homes ($30K 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.