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 Rising Sun, MD 21911

Rising Sun: median income $104,673, home value $359,000, $220/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kewaskum, WI 53040 97%680$96,096$326,100$210 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Trevor, WI 53179 95%658$94,460$305,800$221 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Ellsworth, WI 54011 95%909$102,636$305,500$229 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Chisago City, MN 55013 95%941$109,063$397,400$239 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
North Branch, MN 55056 95%948$95,679$331,300$208 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Baltimore, OH 43105 94%349$98,583$340,900$219 Very close on everything we compare
Lindstrom, MN 55045 94%939$108,929$390,500$208 pricier homes ($32K more)
Odessa, MO 64076 94%958$93,008$257,700$204 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Smithville, MO 64089 94%985$101,009$327,200$196 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Decatur, TX 76234 94%1,273$93,727$344,700$199 larger
Santa Fe, TX 77510 94%1,291$102,651$333,100$179 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Castroville, TX 78009 94%1,477$103,125$368,700$194 Very close on everything we compare
New Gloucester, ME 04260 93%418$108,797$357,100$257 smaller
Milton, VT 05468 93%374$114,709$372,200$255 Very close on everything we compare
Brooklyn, CT 06234 93%259$96,207$315,200$243 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Nottingham, PA 19362 93%4$89,302$359,700$196 smaller
Mohnton, PA 19540 93%40$100,000$319,600$216 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Johnstown, OH 43031 93%354$110,930$389,900$224 pricier homes ($31K more)
Highland, MI 48357 93%445$94,954$360,700$203 Very close on everything we compare
Wyoming, MN 55092 93%944$95,337$363,900$206 Very close on everything we compare
Peculiar, MO 64078 93%985$103,922$301,900$176 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Berwick, ME 03901 92%366$94,771$369,100$261 Very close on everything we compare
Fleetwood, PA 19522 92%54$97,507$279,300$204 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Marshall, WI 53559 92%715$93,571$315,300$211 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Milton, WI 53563 92%703$89,528$293,800$229 cheaper homes ($65K less)

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.