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 22026

Dumfries: median income $124,318, home value $483,000, $250/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Frederick, MD 21703 83%56$106,334$384,600$221 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 81%33$128,259$455,300$204 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · older residents
Burtonsville, MD 20866 80%41$140,308$446,900$241 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents · older homes
Waldorf, MD 20602 79%22$107,360$376,800$218 cheaper homes ($106K less) · older homes
Abingdon, MD 21009 79%82$121,660$357,100$192 cheaper homes ($126K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Gaithersburg, MD 20879 78%42$112,104$468,100$255 8 min shorter commute · more walkable · older homes
Frederick, MD 21702 78%65$106,983$426,300$223 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · older residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33325 77%879$100,553$455,000$348 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Bowie, MD 20716 76%40$125,034$429,600$250 cheaper homes ($53K less) · older residents · older homes
Laurel, MD 20724 76%45$118,115$426,100$266 cheaper homes ($57K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Orlando, FL 32829 76%734$99,213$386,600$237 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($96K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Wesley Chapel, FL 33544 76%770$104,573$434,900$202 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Thornton, CO 80241 76%1,479$110,218$542,100$234 pricier homes ($59K more) · 9 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Germantown, MD 20876 75%43$119,731$487,300$264 9 min shorter commute · more walkable
Auburn, WA 98092 75%2,311$122,300$635,900$324 pricier homes ($153K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Waldorf, MD 20601 74%23$117,480$402,100$200 cheaper homes ($81K less) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Waldorf, MD 20603 74%18$137,946$453,700$198 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Canyon Country, CA 91387 74%2,284$117,969$756,600$408 pricier homes ($274K more) · larger
Perry Hall, MD 21128 73%73$128,069$449,500$212 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Miami, FL 33196 73%910$94,961$489,600$328 lower income ($29K less) · larger · older residents
Puyallup, WA 98374 73%2,319$112,662$535,300$284 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Lumberton, NJ 08048 72%164$113,440$432,100$232 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · older residents
California, MD 20619 71%45$119,432$376,800$212 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Bel Air, MD 21014 71%84$116,970$429,900$207 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Orlando, FL 32832 71%739$118,856$497,200$233 larger · 9 min shorter commute · less walkable

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.