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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 Silver Spring, MD 20905

Silver Spring: median income $159,740, home value $656,700, $251/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Monroe, CT 06468 94%251$157,250$503,200$275 cheaper homes ($154K less)
Newtown, CT 06470 93%250$153,238$577,800$289 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Medford, NJ 08055 93%127$155,710$496,400$259 cheaper homes ($160K less) · larger
Littleton, MA 01460 90%373$149,722$658,300$374 smaller
Sandy Hook, CT 06482 90%254$159,828$499,200$285 cheaper homes ($158K less) · smaller
Lebanon, NJ 08833 90%157$172,454$604,400$323 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Gaithersburg, MD 20882 90%11$184,136$737,400$241 pricier homes ($81K more)
Edgewater, MD 21037 90%28$145,787$560,300$317 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 90%615$153,495$419,900$249 cheaper homes ($237K less)
Upton, MA 01568 89%353$160,417$574,700$316 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Medway, MA 02053 89%360$173,750$617,300$337 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Wrentham, MA 02093 89%360$151,676$654,900$355 smaller
Amherst, NH 03031 89%382$153,125$537,300$289 cheaper homes ($119K less) · smaller
Kendall Park, NJ 08824 89%158$174,776$628,000$360 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Nesconset, NY 11767 89%237$152,985$637,900$407 Very close on everything we compare
Poolesville, MD 20837 89%22$174,063$772,300$243 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller
Annapolis, MD 21409 89%31$147,151$535,500$286 cheaper homes ($121K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Middletown, MD 21769 89%37$151,563$507,000$225 cheaper homes ($150K less) · smaller
Northborough, MA 01532 88%357$153,199$620,000$331 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Sparta, NJ 07871 88%182$167,654$479,700$310 cheaper homes ($177K less)
Mount Sinai, NY 11766 88%246$153,235$649,600$354 smaller
Doylestown, PA 18902 88%132$161,267$668,200$301 newer homes
Mount Airy, MD 21771 88%21$157,302$556,200$241 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Georgetown, MA 01833 87%401$153,750$653,500$360 smaller
Glenmoore, PA 19343 87%94$160,256$567,700$267 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute

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.

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