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 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324

Fort Lauderdale: median income $85,000, home value $379,700, $262/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Aurora, CO 80014 91%1,696$73,210$416,200$212 pricier homes ($37K more)
Palatine, IL 60074 90%1,191$84,089$315,500$233 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Wheeling, IL 60090 90%1,189$85,355$264,800$228 cheaper homes ($115K less)
Owings Mills, MD 21117 88%941$101,831$387,400$201 Very close on everything we compare
Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 88%591$79,309$486,800$210 pricier homes ($107K more)
Horsham, PA 19044 87%1,015$88,173$402,400$297 smaller
Newark, DE 19702 84%970$92,446$346,100$209 cheaper homes ($34K less) · more single-family homes
Laurel, MD 20707 84%918$107,706$423,400$250 pricier homes ($44K more)
Cockeysville, MD 21030 84%947$89,015$450,700$233 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · more renters
Falls Church, VA 22041 84%898$92,636$452,300$311 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · more walkable
Smyrna, GA 30080 84%593$91,957$450,400$227 pricier homes ($71K more)
Germantown, MD 20874 83%915$115,022$399,000$263 higher income ($30K more)
Montgomery Village, MD 20886 83%919$98,542$386,500$236 7 min longer commute
Nottingham, MD 21236 83%942$95,149$327,200$208 cheaper homes ($53K less) · more single-family homes
Frederick, MD 21701 83%936$106,577$435,000$230 pricier homes ($55K more)
Silver Spring, MD 20904 82%914$96,025$560,000$247 pricier homes ($180K more) · 6 min longer commute
Chesapeake, VA 23320 82%770$84,305$346,400$219 cheaper homes ($33K less) · more single-family homes
Marietta, GA 30067 82%595$83,568$445,900$210 pricier homes ($66K more) · younger residents · more renters
Prospect Heights, IL 60070 82%1,187$84,775$343,000$240 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Lisle, IL 60532 82%1,170$102,085$386,300$253 smaller · more single-family homes
Denver, CO 80227 82%1,708$90,316$559,200$266 pricier homes ($180K more) · more single-family homes
Silver Spring, MD 20906 81%914$97,521$455,800$250 pricier homes ($76K more) · 8 min longer commute
Schaumburg, IL 60194 81%1,186$97,994$329,700$251 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Westmont, IL 60559 81%1,167$90,963$365,300$280 smaller · more single-family homes
Marlborough, MA 01752 80%1,225$91,968$513,100$303 pricier homes ($133K more) · more single-family homes · 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.