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 Melfa, VA 23410

Melfa: median income $54,050, home value $195,100, $193/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Inchelium, WA 99138 95%2,243$50,833$218,100— smaller
Strattanville, PA 16258 94%311$55,188$183,800— Very close on everything we compare
Gerber, CA 96035 93%2,475$49,760$237,900$258 pricier homes ($43K more)
Canadian, TX 79014 91%1,365$62,273$204,300$153 Very close on everything we compare
Petersburg, WV 26847 90%206$52,139$180,400$162 larger
Blanch, NC 27212 90%211$57,108$190,400$159 5 min longer commute
Elk Park, NC 28622 90%358$44,028$169,900$199 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Walker, MO 64790 90%1,008$48,750$164,100$158 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Walsenburg, CO 81089 90%1,582$52,280$191,800$154 larger
Machias, ME 04654 89%650$48,838$171,600$131 Very close on everything we compare
Covington, PA 16917 89%292$62,321$156,600$187 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Grantsville, MD 21536 89%229$64,205$201,300$165 larger
Russells Point, OH 43348 89%478$51,426$173,000$217 more apartments and townhomes
South Charleston, OH 45368 89%453$60,850$168,600$153 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Fairland, OK 74343 89%1,050$47,829$163,400$195 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Stanfield, OR 97875 89%2,281$57,451$208,900$232 Very close on everything we compare
Dexter, ME 04930 88%610$54,137$168,600$136 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Newport, ME 04953 88%600$60,365$234,800$182 pricier homes ($40K more)
Mc Connellsburg, PA 17233 88%200$61,296$195,500$166 larger
Great Bend, PA 18821 88%299$52,857$171,800$156 smaller
Pocomoke City, MD 21851 88%32$53,162$206,700$176 larger
Vanderbilt, MI 49795 88%694$57,019$166,500$163 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Horicon, WI 53032 88%785$56,085$189,000$165 larger · older homes
Crandon, WI 54520 88%870$60,031$169,800$221 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger
Ladysmith, WI 54848 88%959$56,736$154,100$169 cheaper homes ($41K 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.