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 Gaithersburg, MD 20882

Gaithersburg: median income $184,136, home value $737,400, $241/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Poolesville, MD 20837 94%15$174,063$772,300$243 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Davidsonville, MD 21035 94%34$188,347$831,500$273 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller
Brookeville, MD 20833 93%6$204,375$797,100$284 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Long Valley, NJ 07853 92%165$175,792$605,000$302 cheaper homes ($132K less)
Woodbine, MD 21797 92%9$189,241$735,600$259 smaller
Norfolk, MA 02056 91%364$200,720$725,200$344 younger residents
Warrenton, VA 20187 91%48$176,435$646,400$239 cheaper homes ($91K less) · younger residents
Silver Spring, MD 20905 90%11$159,740$656,700$251 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Pittstown, NJ 08867 89%149$204,583$601,600$276 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller
Ijamsville, MD 21754 89%10$182,188$647,300$236 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller · younger residents
Monrovia, MD 21770 89%10$183,571$632,500$240 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · younger residents
Glencoe, MO 63038 88%727$186,450$580,800$193 cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller
Monroe, CT 06468 87%252$157,250$503,200$275 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($234K less)
Sandy Hook, CT 06482 87%254$159,828$499,200$285 cheaper homes ($238K less)
Marriottsville, MD 21104 87%14$191,804$680,200$243 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Parkton, MD 21120 87%38$162,052$580,900$237 cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller · younger residents
Saint Charles, IL 60175 87%619$181,352$519,700$221 cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger
Califon, NJ 07830 86%160$180,852$656,400$297 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller
Millstone Township, NJ 08510 86%149$225,966$740,700$318 higher income ($42K more) · smaller
Kendall Park, NJ 08824 86%160$174,776$628,000$360 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Lebanon, NJ 08833 86%157$172,454$604,400$323 cheaper homes ($133K less)
Jamison, PA 18929 86%130$179,380$627,700$274 cheaper homes ($110K less) · younger residents
Richboro, PA 18954 86%133$159,857$626,700$265 cheaper homes ($111K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Purcellville, VA 20132 86%32$181,875$776,300$274 pricier homes ($39K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Baldwin, MD 21013 86%40$171,354$572,100$238 cheaper homes ($165K less) · smaller · younger residents

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