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 Hanover, VA 23069

Hanover: median income $83,453, home value $356,400, $274/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Culleoka, TN 38451 95%559$90,163$341,600$281 Very close on everything we compare
Star Prairie, WI 54026 95%938$95,833$342,200$277 Very close on everything we compare
Etowah, NC 28729 94%338$84,413$321,000$244 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Brussels, WI 54204 94%719$79,803$379,800$299 smaller
Richmond, MN 56368 94%1,033$97,407$321,100$254 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Holt, MO 64048 94%926$103,131$337,900$255 Very close on everything we compare
Galway, NY 12074 93%402$94,583$304,800$234 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Bath, NC 27808 93%162$90,472$372,500$295 smaller
Fremont, WI 54940 93%748$90,813$307,100$208 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Shapleigh, ME 04076 92%525$88,140$356,000$365 Very close on everything we compare
Julian, NC 27283 92%179$90,402$290,700$251 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Rapid City, MI 49676 92%640$75,781$269,300$290 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Kansasville, WI 53139 92%663$99,635$305,500$285 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Annandale, MN 55302 92%1,008$83,235$347,000$230 larger
Garfield, MN 56332 92%1,090$87,917$281,400$273 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Tafton, PA 18464 91%276$77,277$312,600$253 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Preston, MD 21655 91%102$90,385$289,200$221 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Worton, MD 21678 91%124$71,023$319,000$266 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Smithfield, KY 40068 91%434$80,750$325,300$232 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Alexandria, OH 43001 91%327$93,804$387,400$216 pricier homes ($31K more)
North Salem, IN 46165 91%522$86,488$346,500$226 smaller · older homes
Malone, WI 53049 91%711$93,424$286,000$261 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Caledonia, WI 53108 91%658$86,679$296,800$233 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Saginaw, MN 55779 91%991$93,792$282,900$263 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Zumbro Falls, MN 55991 91%904$82,292$350,000$270 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.