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 Charles City, VA 23030

Charles City: median income $81,250, home value $253,700, $206/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
East China, MI 48054 96%471$83,241$301,400$199 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
Limington, ME 04049 93%554$84,675$295,600$257 pricier homes ($42K more)
Depauw, IN 47115 93%501$88,229$194,500$193 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Gleason, WI 54435 93%844$83,125$217,600$229 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Crouse, NC 28033 92%269$78,458$224,000$234 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Taylorsville, GA 30178 92%495$68,916$320,300$208 pricier homes ($67K more)
Luck, WI 54853 92%971$75,000$245,100$215 Very close on everything we compare
Pottsboro, TX 75076 92%1,125$76,919$267,500$198 larger
Larue, TX 75770 92%1,107$83,542$239,200$179 smaller
New Bloomfield, PA 17068 91%211$82,888$214,600$165 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Shermans Dale, PA 17090 91%205$78,281$260,700$186 younger residents
Long Pond, PA 18334 91%271$90,729$254,600$209 younger residents
Pinnacle, NC 27043 91%197$74,783$211,300$206 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Sullivan, OH 44880 91%373$69,505$259,900$245 Very close on everything we compare
Memphis, MI 48041 91%488$75,677$316,500$188 pricier homes ($63K more) · younger residents
Stockbridge, MI 49285 91%514$73,375$210,100$152 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Sand Lake, MI 49343 91%604$80,408$244,200$244 younger residents
Sparta, MO 65753 91%880$80,179$222,700$180 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents
Union Dale, PA 18470 90%311$73,654$227,600$164 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Sophia, NC 27350 90%188$69,306$183,800$198 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Hurdle Mills, NC 27541 90%134$75,305$237,000$202 Very close on everything we compare
Murrayville, GA 30564 90%430$76,188$333,000$207 pricier homes ($79K more) · younger residents
Joelton, TN 37080 90%547$87,963$333,700$232 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Charleston, TN 37310 90%450$81,645$270,600$227 6 min shorter commute
Laurelville, OH 43135 90%337$72,823$222,500$227 cheaper homes ($31K less) · 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.