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 Machipongo, VA 23405

Machipongo: median income $59,663, home value $341,800, $241/sq ft, 49-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brownfield, ME 04010 86%522$60,889$287,500$265 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Parsonsfield, ME 04047 84%511$72,045$272,100$296 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Hillsboro, WV 24946 82%243$60,625$227,000— cheaper homes ($115K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Beulah, CO 81023 82%1,582$55,641$375,200$191 pricier homes ($33K more) · older residents
Pine Mountain Club, CA 93222 82%2,399$69,337$393,000$240 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Morristown, AZ 85342 78%2,063$55,917$343,600$205 older residents · newer homes
Grafton, NH 03240 77%474$81,563$267,300$223 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Fairfield, ID 83327 77%2,068$66,250$287,900$196 cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Orland, ME 04472 76%619$69,022$275,300$295 cheaper homes ($67K less) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Whitingham, VT 05361 76%405$75,714$247,400$166 cheaper homes ($94K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Mcarthur, CA 96056 76%2,420$61,442$375,600$199 pricier homes ($34K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Readyville, TN 37149 75%583$78,345$402,900$268 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Meansville, GA 30256 74%563$73,571$299,000$200 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Douglass, TX 75943 74%1,147$61,302$219,100$165 cheaper homes ($123K less) · 8 min shorter commute · newer homes
Pahala, HI 96777 74%4,864$64,643$233,200$239 cheaper homes ($109K less) · younger residents
Naselle, WA 98638 74%2,500$63,664$375,000$154 pricier homes ($33K more) · older homes
Wells, VT 05774 73%440$76,667$253,200$212 cheaper homes ($89K less) · older residents
Kendrick, ID 83537 73%2,157$71,917$327,300$197 older residents · 10 min shorter commute
Coulterville, CA 95311 73%2,399$56,029$316,000$251 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Garden Valley, CA 95633 73%2,420$74,258$434,200$304 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
West Newfield, ME 04095 72%502$57,206$319,000$350 older residents
Walling, TN 38587 72%548$51,500$249,600$248 cheaper homes ($92K less) · 12 min shorter commute
Salvisa, KY 40372 72%491$74,205$229,800$189 cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger · newer homes
De Beque, CO 81630 72%1,747$64,875$269,400$234 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Elgin, AZ 85611 72%1,998$91,458$380,300$248 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($39K more) · 7 min shorter commute

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.