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 Lanexa, VA 23089

Lanexa: median income $108,802, home value $400,600, $252/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Alton, NH 03809 94%513$106,397$387,500$270 older homes
Sanbornville, NH 03872 92%524$109,583$334,400$278 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Waretown, NJ 08758 92%219$96,900$486,300$266 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
Street, MD 21154 92%157$97,658$455,400$257 pricier homes ($55K more)
Barto, PA 19504 91%217$98,859$388,300$225 older homes
Earleville, MD 21919 91%148$106,500$373,200$224 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Metamora, MI 48455 91%509$103,835$367,900$235 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Chepachet, RI 02814 90%417$110,764$390,500$298 larger · older homes
Dunbarton, NH 03046 90%481$124,348$484,100$272 pricier homes ($84K more) · smaller
East Haddam, CT 06423 90%369$107,549$373,700$306 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older homes
Columbus, NJ 08022 90%218$117,679$429,800$256 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Queenstown, MD 21658 90%117$128,274$483,200$300 pricier homes ($83K more)
Brooks, GA 30205 90%513$105,700$491,800$209 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller · younger residents
Hermosa, SD 57744 90%1,441$106,250$386,800$270 smaller
Florence, MT 59833 90%1,991$94,097$551,600$333 pricier homes ($151K more)
Hubbardston, MA 01452 89%436$123,500$371,600$311 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Columbia, CT 06237 89%384$127,000$361,500$243 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Shady Side, MD 20764 89%100$118,857$432,700$298 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · older homes
Leonard, MI 48367 89%499$110,405$397,900$192 5 min shorter commute
Eagle, WI 53119 89%717$117,759$416,500$292 7 min shorter commute
Center City, MN 55012 89%990$101,607$386,600$226 smaller · older homes
Bluff Dale, TX 76433 89%1,247$117,702$395,000$240 smaller · newer homes
Thayne, WY 83127 89%1,827$87,743$482,700$325 pricier homes ($82K more)
Columbia, NJ 07832 88%263$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($45K less) · older homes
Stewartstown, PA 17363 88%163$107,386$320,100$203 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger

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.