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 Willards, MD 21874

Willards: median income $78,393, home value $236,700, $306/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brandon, MN 56315 94%1,157$89,514$269,800$246 pricier homes ($33K more)
Epworth, GA 30541 93%563$66,579$214,400$343 Very close on everything we compare
Pateros, WA 98846 93%2,308$84,464$338,200$276 pricier homes ($102K more)
Turtle Lake, WI 54889 92%989$77,143$257,100$288 larger · older residents
Moore, ID 83255 92%2,001$70,714$283,200$340 pricier homes ($47K more)
Warren, ME 04864 91%507$74,616$232,700$251 larger
Wolcott, VT 05680 91%451$72,917$227,700$267 Very close on everything we compare
Freehold, NY 12431 91%284$80,694$262,500$265 pricier homes ($26K more)
Grawn, MI 49637 91%687$75,000$237,100$275 larger · younger residents
Hinsdale, MA 01235 90%304$79,327$267,500$280 pricier homes ($31K more) · older homes
Perry, ME 04667 90%623$74,712$169,000$257 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Searsmont, ME 04973 90%521$87,000$284,000$292 pricier homes ($47K more)
Franklin, VT 05457 90%471$96,875$279,200$297 pricier homes ($43K more)
New Alexandria, PA 15670 90%258$79,345$195,400$301 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · older homes
Fenelton, PA 16034 90%289$88,300$214,300$236 Very close on everything we compare
Spout Spring, VA 24593 90%206$79,018$243,900$195 Very close on everything we compare
Lena, WI 54139 90%796$78,013$209,800$265 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Bryant, WI 54418 90%844$80,000$195,100— cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Bancroft, WI 54921 90%839$76,164$176,000$244 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Evansville, MN 56326 90%1,162$85,625$244,300$231 5 min longer commute
Erskine, MN 56535 90%1,218$65,536$233,600$336 Very close on everything we compare
Easton, MO 64443 90%1,038$86,042$300,000— pricier homes ($63K more)
Pinebluff, NC 28373 89%322$81,538$224,400$199 larger
Burbank, OH 44214 89%395$84,861$237,800$316 Very close on everything we compare
Eden, WI 53019 89%768$84,559$242,400$273 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.