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 Saint Charles, IL 60175

Saint Charles: median income $181,352, home value $519,700, $221/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Warrenton, VA 20187 93%603$176,435$646,400$239 pricier homes ($127K more)
Plano, TX 75094 93%764$171,476$539,200$193 Very close on everything we compare
Mount Airy, MD 21771 92%613$157,302$556,200$241 pricier homes ($37K more)
Edmond, OK 73025 91%652$176,149$454,700$185 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 90%705$157,009$488,100$252 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Jamison, PA 18929 90%701$179,380$627,700$274 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller
Purcellville, VA 20132 90%592$181,875$776,300$274 pricier homes ($257K more)
Monroe, CT 06468 89%783$157,250$503,200$275 older homes
Brookline, NH 03033 88%854$171,046$544,400$245 smaller
Windham, NH 03087 88%873$189,583$723,300$322 pricier homes ($204K more) · smaller
Manassas, VA 20112 88%620$195,467$648,000$250 pricier homes ($128K more) · 7 min longer commute
Bowie, MD 20720 88%643$158,997$564,600$216 pricier homes ($45K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Ijamsville, MD 21754 88%609$182,188$647,300$236 pricier homes ($128K more) · smaller
Sunnyvale, TX 75182 88%774$170,348$565,300$208 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · newer homes
Aledo, TX 76008 88%814$168,314$493,200$205 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Lincoln University, PA 19352 87%670$165,365$473,200$225 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · younger residents
Gaithersburg, MD 20882 87%619$184,136$737,400$241 pricier homes ($218K more) · smaller
Silver Spring, MD 20905 87%629$159,740$656,700$251 pricier homes ($137K more) · older homes
Monrovia, MD 21770 87%611$183,571$632,500$240 pricier homes ($113K more) · smaller
Harrisburg, NC 28075 87%619$144,288$482,800$205 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($37K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Oakland, MI 48363 87%273$179,375$618,200$226 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Victoria, MN 55386 87%332$192,458$565,900$206 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller · newer homes
Boerne, TX 78015 87%1,020$162,487$492,400$206 cheaper homes ($27K less) · newer homes
Littleton, CO 80125 87%888$179,983$762,200$231 pricier homes ($243K more) · smaller · newer homes
Sandy Hook, CT 06482 86%781$159,828$499,200$285 smaller · 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.