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 Boyds, MD 20841

Boyds: median income $184,688, home value $782,500, $292/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Garnet Valley, PA 19060 85%106$185,043$547,000$244 cheaper homes ($236K less)
Purcellville, VA 20132 85%23$181,875$776,300$274 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33332 85%926$172,730$909,000$395 pricier homes ($127K more) · less walkable
Lake Worth, FL 33449 85%887$153,586$696,100$278 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($86K less) · less walkable
Poolesville, MD 20837 84%7$174,063$772,300$243 6 min longer commute · older homes
Doylestown, PA 18902 83%142$161,267$668,200$301 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger · less walkable
Alpine, UT 84004 83%1,818$170,500$980,300$289 pricier homes ($198K more) · younger residents
Windham, NH 03087 82%400$189,583$723,300$322 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · younger residents
Driftwood, TX 78619 82%1,330$183,393$810,600$339 pricier homes ($28K more) · less walkable
Monument, CO 80132 82%1,470$161,670$773,100$225 larger
Golden, CO 80403 82%1,485$151,276$838,000$344 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Bowie, MD 20720 81%32$158,997$564,600$216 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger
Jamison, PA 18929 80%138$179,380$627,700$274 cheaper homes ($155K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Hamilton, VA 20158 80%19$211,522$765,800$291 higher income ($27K more) · smaller · less walkable
Marriottsville, MD 21104 80%23$191,804$680,200$243 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller · less walkable
Flower Mound, TX 75022 80%1,182$177,357$657,400$258 cheaper homes ($125K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Chesterfield, NJ 08515 79%156$208,836$560,000$253 cheaper homes ($223K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Gaithersburg, MD 20882 79%9$184,136$737,400$241 cheaper homes ($45K less) · less walkable · older homes
Victoria, MN 55386 79%923$192,458$565,900$206 cheaper homes ($217K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Littleton, CO 80125 79%1,476$179,983$762,200$231 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Snoqualmie, WA 98065 79%2,275$198,216$956,600$459 pricier homes ($174K more) · larger · younger residents
Brookeville, MD 20833 78%14$204,375$797,100$284 older homes
Silver Spring, MD 20905 78%18$159,740$656,700$251 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger · older homes
Overland Park, KS 66224 78%928$188,004$652,300$225 cheaper homes ($130K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Sunnyvale, TX 75182 78%1,160$170,348$565,300$208 cheaper homes ($217K less) · less 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.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Columbus, OH? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched