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 Columbus, NJ 08022

Columbus: median income $117,679, home value $429,800, $256/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chesterfield, VA 23838 91%247$134,651$465,500$206 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Lanexa, VA 23089 90%218$108,802$400,600$252 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Pinckney, MI 48169 90%506$109,329$373,400$236 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Milford, MI 48380 90%497$131,979$447,000$202 Very close on everything we compare
Spring Grove, IL 60081 89%721$116,706$355,300$213 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Dunbarton, NH 03046 88%263$124,348$484,100$272 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller
Weare, NH 03281 88%259$118,271$396,300$242 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older homes
Powhatan, VA 23139 88%246$110,349$405,000$249 larger
Rockville, VA 23146 88%228$119,583$464,400$258 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Hubertus, WI 53033 88%732$136,786$476,900$280 pricier homes ($47K more)
Eagle, WI 53119 88%738$117,759$416,500$292 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Chester, NH 03036 87%268$142,212$552,300$298 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller
New Freedom, PA 17349 87%108$120,618$368,900$185 cheaper homes ($61K less) · older homes
Leonard, MI 48367 87%478$110,405$397,900$192 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Metamora, MI 48455 87%487$103,835$367,900$235 cheaper homes ($62K less) · older homes
Foristell, MO 63348 87%871$115,661$386,200$231 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Palmyra, VA 22963 86%247$104,259$327,900$203 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · younger residents
Quinton, VA 23141 86%220$119,535$397,600$230 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Alva, FL 33920 86%1,005$98,571$420,900$201 Very close on everything we compare
Eads, TN 38028 86%886$151,389$463,600$210 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($34K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Leander, TX 78645 86%1,466$113,008$434,600$225 larger · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Sandia Park, NM 87047 86%1,754$116,630$413,400$262 smaller
West Kingston, RI 02892 85%189$135,809$490,600$269 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · older homes
Queenstown, MD 21658 85%107$128,274$483,200$300 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · older homes
Maidens, VA 23102 85%234$126,635$510,200$272 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller · 7 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.