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 Luray, VA 22835

Luray: median income $52,939, home value $265,700, $225/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Norway, ME 04268 91%561$54,342$215,800$239 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Romney, WV 26757 89%50$57,212$213,200$173 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Lucerne Valley, CA 92356 88%2,139$54,923$269,900$196 smaller · younger residents
Kelseyville, CA 95451 88%2,362$62,568$352,000$211 pricier homes ($86K more)
Morongo Valley, CA 92256 87%2,129$51,949$285,400$293 smaller · younger residents
Waverly, TN 37185 86%542$51,314$181,800$192 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Oxford, NC 27565 84%161$56,432$204,000$180 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · younger residents
White Pine, TN 37890 84%320$59,355$234,200$197 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Algonac, MI 48001 84%350$69,160$257,400$207 more homeowners
Plattsburg, MO 64477 84%858$64,643$238,900$172 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Yerington, NV 89447 84%2,172$56,691$277,500$233 8 min shorter commute
Coloma, MI 49038 83%480$62,636$206,800$199 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 82%210$66,875$238,800$198 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more homeowners
Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 82%64$71,349$241,000$204 newer homes
Bessemer City, NC 28016 82%280$57,147$222,700$183 cheaper homes ($43K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Marshall, NC 28753 82%303$52,304$292,800$235 pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents
Hartwell, GA 30643 82%387$61,596$235,100$187 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
De Leon Springs, FL 32130 82%679$60,563$290,400$243 smaller · younger residents · newer homes
Inverness, FL 34452 82%714$58,608$219,800$172 cheaper homes ($46K less) · more homeowners
Dover, TN 37058 82%537$58,871$215,100$167 cheaper homes ($51K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Mount Gilead, OH 43338 82%265$72,311$242,400$205 Very close on everything we compare
Jefferson, OH 44047 82%245$60,625$198,400$160 cheaper homes ($67K less) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Montello, WI 53949 82%667$64,611$206,400$182 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Sandstone, MN 55072 82%885$58,144$200,500$174 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mineola, TX 75773 82%1,039$58,138$245,600$160 younger residents · newer homes

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.