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 Barrington, IL 60010

Barrington: median income $177,566, home value $638,100, $255/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ellicott City, MD 21042 97%623$190,061$706,400$274 pricier homes ($68K more)
Roswell, GA 30075 95%597$157,335$611,500$244 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Marietta, GA 30068 94%601$150,101$599,400$228 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($39K less)
Medford, NJ 08055 91%711$155,710$496,400$259 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller
Westford, MA 01886 90%851$187,198$748,500$371 pricier homes ($110K more) · smaller
Bedford, NH 03110 90%846$167,418$612,100$302 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Doylestown, PA 18902 90%688$161,267$668,200$301 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · newer homes
Excelsior, MN 55331 89%332$159,450$737,000$273 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Northborough, MA 01532 88%842$153,199$620,000$331 smaller
Pennington, NJ 08534 88%704$175,573$573,000$324 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Bridgewater, NJ 08807 88%708$168,696$591,200$369 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Severna Park, MD 21146 88%643$172,122$659,800$317 smaller
Alpharetta, GA 30022 88%600$153,294$635,300$238 newer homes
Hudson, OH 44236 88%351$168,595$457,400$242 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller
Rochester, MI 48306 88%257$163,684$546,000$213 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Flower Mound, TX 75022 88%799$177,357$657,400$258 smaller · newer homes
Silver Spring, MD 20905 87%620$159,740$656,700$251 smaller
Cheshire, CT 06410 86%784$145,179$438,900$262 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($199K less) · smaller
Randolph, NJ 07869 86%707$169,497$665,700$351 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · younger residents
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 86%704$155,059$443,400$252 cheaper homes ($195K less) · more walkable
Kendall Park, NJ 08824 86%715$174,776$628,000$360 smaller
Chadds Ford, PA 19317 86%673$174,408$624,900$245 smaller
Hockessin, DE 19707 86%669$172,696$556,600$211 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Annapolis, MD 21409 86%650$147,151$535,500$286 lower income ($30K less) · cheaper homes ($103K less) · smaller
Fairfax, VA 22032 86%614$178,394$799,200$361 pricier homes ($161K more) · smaller · more 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.