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.

Reset

Towns most like Ashland, VA 23005

Ashland: median income $89,335, home value $402,700, $256/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hanahan, SC 29410 97%363$87,984$374,800$250 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Belmont, NC 28012 95%263$83,391$374,100$240 cheaper homes ($29K less)
New Richmond, WI 54017 93%930$98,571$321,700$211 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Forest Lake, MN 55025 93%953$98,382$405,000$201 Very close on everything we compare
Gansevoort, NY 12831 92%425$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Oxford, PA 19363 92%163$107,067$370,200$217 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Chestertown, MD 21620 92%127$80,530$347,500$228 cheaper homes ($55K less)
River Falls, WI 54022 92%925$96,642$373,100$203 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Lees Summit, MO 64086 92%913$102,099$325,600$193 cheaper homes ($77K less)
South Berwick, ME 03908 91%517$98,289$425,700$274 smaller
Mount Holly, NC 28120 91%259$78,231$321,500$210 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Carthage, NC 28327 91%199$87,434$322,000$194 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Mary Esther, FL 32569 91%732$77,718$326,000$215 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller
Winter Springs, FL 32708 91%663$93,628$385,700$242 larger
Tampa, FL 33624 91%729$87,760$386,100$252 larger
Murfreesboro, TN 37127 91%511$91,401$375,400$218 cheaper homes ($27K less) · newer homes
Knoxville, TN 37931 91%386$92,150$359,600$208 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Lebanon, OH 45036 91%380$99,128$352,200$212 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Milford, MI 48381 91%464$105,213$405,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Mills, WI 53551 91%705$94,401$357,400$229 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Lutz, FL 33549 90%723$89,343$385,900$248 older residents
Old Hickory, TN 37138 90%514$85,149$363,000$233 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Whitmore Lake, MI 48189 90%465$87,145$313,400$217 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Deforest, WI 53532 90%729$110,022$371,600$227 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 90%740$108,750$416,700$217 smaller

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.