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 Middletown, VA 22645

Middletown: median income $90,875, home value $419,900, $219/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kingston Springs, TN 37082 96%524$98,361$418,800$256 Very close on everything we compare
Columbus, MT 59019 95%1,635$84,591$398,100$179 Very close on everything we compare
Cleveland, MO 64734 95%875$88,274$393,900$233 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Boonsboro, MD 21713 93%47$96,199$369,200$207 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Cochranville, PA 19330 92%139$109,779$387,100$223 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Cottontown, TN 37048 92%487$100,446$434,400$251 Very close on everything we compare
Pegram, TN 37143 92%520$96,929$392,400$234 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Centerburg, OH 43011 92%249$90,121$315,600$205 cheaper homes ($104K less)
Poynette, WI 53955 92%652$101,134$332,000$201 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Bowdoin, ME 04287 91%552$91,239$292,800$251 cheaper homes ($127K less)
Street, MD 21154 91%111$97,658$455,400$257 pricier homes ($36K more) · older residents
Lake Helen, FL 32744 91%715$112,599$453,700$238 pricier homes ($34K more)
Chapmansboro, TN 37035 91%516$94,068$325,100$243 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Whites Creek, TN 37189 91%505$87,047$383,200$231 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Highland, MI 48357 91%375$94,954$360,700$203 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Annandale, MN 55302 91%915$83,235$347,000$230 cheaper homes ($73K less) · larger
Platteville, CO 80651 91%1,409$81,586$474,700$277 pricier homes ($55K more)
Springville, CA 93265 91%2,209$99,350$467,700$223 pricier homes ($48K more)
Pollock Pines, CA 95726 91%2,251$91,128$424,200$259 larger
Andover, NH 03216 90%454$88,311$358,800$194 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Hollis Center, ME 04042 90%507$95,950$338,900$270 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Steep Falls, ME 04085 90%513$92,246$288,600$253 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller
Cresco, PA 18326 90%216$85,352$285,300$215 cheaper homes ($135K less)
Freeland, MD 21053 90%95$89,497$408,300$238 smaller · older homes
Clear Spring, MD 21722 90%48$88,232$312,500$195 cheaper homes ($107K less)

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.