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 Spring Branch, TX 78070

Spring Branch: median income $115,175, home value $516,600, $221/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Apollo Beach, FL 33572 96%977$122,130$472,800$217 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Parrish, FL 34219 94%981$113,773$454,900$200 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Denver, NC 28037 92%1,080$111,703$491,900$235 6 min shorter commute
Fredericksburg, VA 22406 89%1,323$129,167$512,300$205 more renters
Hoschton, GA 30548 89%901$111,257$460,800$195 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Alva, FL 33920 89%1,041$98,571$420,900$201 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Saint Cloud, FL 34771 89%1,042$97,415$454,400$206 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · younger residents
Surprise, AZ 85387 89%865$98,757$481,000$221 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Brandywine, MD 20613 88%1,366$151,422$530,000$222 higher income ($36K more)
Land O Lakes, FL 34637 88%967$115,214$434,400$188 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · younger residents
Spotsylvania, VA 22551 87%1,310$110,370$391,400$236 cheaper homes ($125K less) · younger residents
Chapin, SC 29036 87%1,039$113,986$410,700$162 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Riverview, FL 33569 87%982$105,275$372,500$206 cheaper homes ($144K less) · younger residents
Port Orchard, WA 98367 87%1,770$115,482$565,100$294 pricier homes ($49K more) · larger · older homes
Centreville, MD 21617 86%1,415$116,898$483,700$218 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Chesterfield, VA 23838 86%1,295$134,651$465,500$206 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more single-family homes
Willow Spring, NC 27592 86%1,207$104,252$358,900$195 cheaper homes ($158K less) · younger residents
Ball Ground, GA 30107 86%873$110,811$387,600$211 cheaper homes ($129K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Shorewood, IL 60404 86%981$122,171$335,800$190 cheaper homes ($181K less)
Lemont, IL 60439 86%1,000$121,724$480,800$264 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older homes
Berthoud, CO 80513 86%811$126,726$600,600$249 pricier homes ($84K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Columbus, NJ 08022 85%1,506$117,679$429,800$256 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Morgantown, PA 19543 85%1,449$112,750$361,000$194 cheaper homes ($156K less) · smaller
Townsend, DE 19734 85%1,440$127,803$430,700$211 cheaper homes ($86K less) · younger residents
Clinton, MD 20735 85%1,364$126,196$432,900$211 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · 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.