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 Dumfries, VA 22025

Dumfries: median income $150,306, home value $528,600, $236/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bowie, MD 20720 94%40$158,997$564,600$216 pricier homes ($36K more)
Damascus, MD 20872 91%47$141,050$504,300$252 Very close on everything we compare
Bel Air, MD 21015 91%85$137,281$443,400$211 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Schwenksville, PA 19473 90%152$138,819$476,300$248 cheaper homes ($52K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Perry Hall, MD 21128 89%73$128,069$449,500$212 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Franklin, MA 02038 86%395$145,773$611,700$343 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger
Olney, MD 20832 86%41$168,524$627,000$290 pricier homes ($98K more)
Sykesville, MD 21784 86%62$139,395$491,800$256 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Norton, MA 02766 85%399$124,535$501,400$312 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($27K less)
Chalfont, PA 18914 85%163$148,824$491,300$272 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 9 min shorter commute
West Grove, PA 19390 85%117$128,858$417,900$222 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller
Derwood, MD 20855 85%38$149,110$640,300$297 pricier homes ($112K more) · more renters
Edgewater, MD 21037 85%48$145,787$560,300$317 pricier homes ($32K more) · more single-family homes
Annapolis, MD 21409 85%57$147,151$535,500$286 7 min shorter commute
Flemington, NJ 08822 84%188$137,788$536,900$310 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Bowie, MD 20721 84%37$163,105$580,200$214 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · older residents
Silver Spring, MD 20905 84%40$159,740$656,700$251 pricier homes ($128K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Arnold, MD 21012 84%55$139,432$563,800$270 pricier homes ($35K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Geneva, IL 60134 84%621$152,727$448,900$249 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Plainfield, IL 60585 84%612$155,511$453,200$216 cheaper homes ($75K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
East Brunswick, NJ 08816 83%201$143,586$522,700$357 larger · older homes
Frederick, MD 21704 83%52$161,063$612,000$227 pricier homes ($83K more) · newer homes
New Market, MD 21774 83%56$171,103$541,000$241 less walkable
Smyrna, GA 30082 83%517$120,372$438,700$200 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($90K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Winfield, IL 60190 83%613$142,612$392,800$248 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute

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.