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 Cross Junction, VA 22625

Cross Junction: median income $95,515, home value $361,900, $209/sq ft, 43-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hidden Valley Lake, CA 95467 91%2,348$84,152$393,100$212 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · more walkable
Granville, MA 01034 90%338$91,016$356,800$231 older homes
Allenton, MI 48002 90%344$93,948$313,100$214 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Keedysville, MD 21756 89%33$101,786$413,200$204 pricier homes ($51K more) · younger residents
Rossville, TN 38066 89%686$107,660$377,900$200 newer homes
Mountain Ranch, CA 95246 89%2,252$98,269$417,100$200 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller
Royalston, MA 01368 88%392$102,500$347,300$206 smaller
Sharpsburg, MD 21782 88%30$94,130$311,600$207 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Joelton, TN 37080 88%514$87,963$333,700$232 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Orrtanna, PA 17353 87%61$100,150$264,100$158 cheaper homes ($98K less) · older homes
Greenwood, CA 95635 87%2,261$101,250$485,200$250 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller
Effort, PA 18330 86%187$93,733$291,600$183 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · younger residents
Gerrardstown, WV 25420 86%10$98,785$289,400$216 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Brooks, GA 30205 86%542$105,700$491,800$209 pricier homes ($130K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Dryden, MI 48428 86%352$100,033$311,600$204 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · younger residents
Oakham, MA 01068 85%386$102,000$420,100$265 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Sanbornville, NH 03872 85%475$109,583$334,400$278 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Buckhead, GA 30625 85%491$88,534$389,100$192 pricier homes ($27K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Nineveh, IN 46164 85%416$85,735$247,200$238 cheaper homes ($115K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Lake Nebagamon, WI 54849 85%837$80,714$261,000$219 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Pioneer, CA 95666 85%2,252$84,311$386,500$247 larger · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Lyndeborough, NH 03082 84%418$120,313$397,700$220 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Alton, NH 03809 84%463$106,397$387,500$270 pricier homes ($26K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Fairfield, PA 17320 84%58$90,076$295,000$174 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · younger residents
Nanjemoy, MD 20662 84%88$86,699$397,300$191 pricier homes ($35K more) · 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.