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 Painter, VA 23420

Painter: median income $52,831, home value $158,400, $214/sq ft, 15-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lanse, MI 49946 91%904$55,341$130,900$206 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 5 min longer commute
Ainsworth, NE 69210 91%1,312$56,625$123,300— cheaper homes ($35K less)
Harvey, ND 58341 90%1,395$61,641$139,000$246 Very close on everything we compare
Lockwood, MO 65682 90%994$53,590$164,300$143 5 min longer commute
Mineral Ridge, OH 44440 89%360$64,904$167,800$156 larger
Waubay, SD 57273 89%1,231$48,167$177,400$164 smaller
Burwell, NE 68823 89%1,268$61,974$174,100— Very close on everything we compare
Walsenburg, CO 81089 89%1,579$52,280$191,800$154 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
North Clarendon, VT 05759 88%439$58,150$209,100$199 pricier homes ($51K more)
Walton, NY 13856 88%319$48,958$156,500$194 larger
Hart, MI 49420 88%694$58,841$167,000$188 larger
Crandon, WI 54520 88%871$60,031$169,800$221 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Ord, NE 68862 88%1,259$60,321$163,100— younger residents
Covington, PA 16917 87%295$62,321$156,600$187 smaller
Ronceverte, WV 24970 87%255$44,118$120,800$190 cheaper homes ($38K less) · 6 min longer commute
Ladysmith, WI 54848 87%958$56,736$154,100$169 larger · 5 min longer commute
Gregory, SD 57533 87%1,294$58,500$122,400$227 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bassett, NE 68714 87%1,296$52,031$132,500— cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Imperial, NE 69033 87%1,396$67,135$171,300— Very close on everything we compare
Morrill, NE 69358 87%1,516$52,159$152,800$137 Very close on everything we compare
Eads, CO 81036 87%1,452$59,868$173,300— smaller
Osburn, ID 83849 87%2,132$52,639$223,600$185 pricier homes ($65K more) · younger residents
Brockport, PA 15823 86%299$51,125$146,100— smaller · 7 min longer commute
Petersburg, WV 26847 86%205$52,139$180,400$162 larger
Deckerville, MI 48427 86%547$56,842$156,800$192 9 min longer 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.