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.

Reset

Towns most like Lake Zurich, IL 60047

Lake Zurich: median income $176,081, home value $541,300, $263/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Roswell, GA 30075 93%599$157,335$611,500$244 pricier homes ($70K more)
Marietta, GA 30068 92%603$150,101$599,400$228 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($58K more)
Medford, NJ 08055 91%709$155,710$496,400$259 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Hudson, OH 44236 91%349$168,595$457,400$242 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Ellicott City, MD 21042 90%621$190,061$706,400$274 pricier homes ($165K more)
Rochester, MI 48306 90%253$163,684$546,000$213 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Flower Mound, TX 75022 90%804$177,357$657,400$258 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller · newer homes
Keller, TX 76248 90%814$171,804$576,600$228 pricier homes ($35K more)
Doylestown, PA 18902 89%685$161,267$668,200$301 pricier homes ($127K more) · smaller
Severna Park, MD 21146 89%641$172,122$659,800$317 pricier homes ($119K more) · smaller
Powell, OH 43065 89%295$154,481$482,200$215 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Spring, TX 77382 89%927$162,384$566,500$222 pricier homes ($25K more) · newer homes
Bedford, NH 03110 88%842$167,418$612,100$302 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Spring, TX 77381 88%929$143,565$473,600$231 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($68K less)
Sugar Land, TX 77479 88%969$156,735$478,300$182 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Silver Spring, MD 20905 87%618$159,740$656,700$251 pricier homes ($115K more) · smaller
Novi, MI 48374 87%233$182,827$577,700$222 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller · newer homes
Flower Mound, TX 75028 87%802$149,436$488,700$233 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($53K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Mckinney, TX 75072 87%778$165,682$502,700$210 cheaper homes ($39K less) · newer homes
Westford, MA 01886 86%848$187,198$748,500$371 pricier homes ($207K more) · smaller
Windham, NH 03087 86%854$189,583$723,300$322 pricier homes ($182K more) · smaller
Monroe, CT 06468 86%767$157,250$503,200$275 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Pennington, NJ 08534 86%701$175,573$573,000$324 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Annapolis, MD 21409 86%648$147,151$535,500$286 lower income ($29K less) · smaller
Cumming, GA 30041 86%594$152,564$574,300$219 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · newer 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.