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 Mchenry, IL 60051

Mchenry: median income $100,762, home value $278,400, $205/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Williamstown, NJ 08094 95%715$96,699$276,100$216 larger
Atco, NJ 08004 93%718$111,738$267,600$207 smaller
White Lake, MI 48386 92%243$89,702$321,100$211 pricier homes ($43K more)
Milford, PA 18337 91%690$93,149$302,200$194 smaller
Hampstead, MD 21074 91%622$108,536$378,100$217 pricier homes ($100K more) · smaller
Holly, MI 48442 91%237$86,575$265,800$179 Very close on everything we compare
Linden, MI 48451 91%228$99,943$283,200$192 smaller
Wolcott, CT 06716 90%784$111,225$325,300$236 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Tuckerton, NJ 08087 90%747$91,677$352,000$276 pricier homes ($74K more)
Gloucester, VA 23061 90%706$91,626$344,500$239 pricier homes ($66K more)
Lowell, IN 46356 90%85$89,217$281,500$184 Very close on everything we compare
Valparaiso, IN 46385 90%85$98,957$331,700$173 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Romeo, MI 48065 90%266$106,053$373,100$204 pricier homes ($95K more) · smaller
Rockwood, MI 48173 90%257$94,094$244,900$165 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Fenton, MI 48430 90%231$100,193$326,400$210 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
Berlin, NJ 08009 89%714$101,184$317,900$226 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Joppa, MD 21085 89%652$113,714$348,600$210 pricier homes ($70K more)
Smithfield, VA 23430 89%719$104,065$367,400$208 pricier homes ($89K more)
Alexandria, KY 41001 89%310$102,447$283,600$185 Very close on everything we compare
White Lake, MI 48383 89%240$102,072$336,800$188 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Salem, WI 53168 89%16$97,035$300,200$243 smaller
Pleasant Hill, MO 64080 89%400$104,311$320,600$187 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · newer homes
Bayville, NJ 08721 88%751$105,273$383,900$329 pricier homes ($106K more)
Dallas, PA 18612 88%634$93,750$259,300$178 6 min shorter commute
Douglassville, PA 19518 88%663$114,181$354,700$210 pricier homes ($76K more)

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.