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 Shipman, VA 22971

Shipman: median income $79,135, home value $319,000, $260/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ridgely, MD 21660 95%179$80,469$359,300$255 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Rushville, OH 43150 95%239$75,284$271,500$264 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Millington, MD 21651 94%189$74,063$326,800$231 Very close on everything we compare
Big Lake, AK 99652 94%3,364$78,578$294,800$312 larger
Hindsville, AR 72738 92%838$86,296$229,000$211 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Freeman, MO 64746 91%853$79,682$275,000$203 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Sterling, CT 06377 90%461$97,308$275,900$298 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Shawboro, NC 27973 90%178$86,375$322,200$223 smaller
Woodlawn, TN 37191 90%488$91,455$271,000$197 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Drexel, MO 64742 90%858$71,442$243,800$203 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Shoshone, ID 83352 90%1,892$70,057$259,500$202 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Drumore, PA 17518 89%198$64,875$381,900$274 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Conowingo, MD 21918 89%195$84,587$324,800$230 larger · older residents
White Bluff, TN 37187 89%478$76,228$300,800$224 larger
Ogilvie, MN 56358 88%935$83,594$260,700$211 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Sheridan, IL 60551 88%585$86,786$301,600$187 larger · older residents
Leonard, TX 75452 88%1,024$69,479$295,900$188 larger
Wales, MA 01081 87%459$86,979$296,800$324 older residents
East Waterboro, ME 04030 87%586$72,548$348,400$274 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents · older homes
Holtwood, PA 17532 87%198$84,562$348,600$312 pricier homes ($30K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Church Hill, MD 21623 87%180$78,345$391,400$183 pricier homes ($72K more)
Meansville, GA 30256 87%451$73,571$299,000$200 older residents
Cedar Hill, TN 37032 87%458$88,157$287,200$256 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Cross Plains, TN 37049 87%441$90,048$368,800$315 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Reelsville, IN 46171 87%456$83,607$287,100$208 cheaper homes ($32K less) · more homeowners

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.