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 Suffolk, VA 23438

Suffolk: median income $93,750, home value $292,600, $223/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Union, NH 03887 94%561$91,875$292,800$251 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Elizabeth, MO 65075 92%861$87,431$283,100— smaller
Johnsonville, NY 12094 91%466$92,266$260,900$215 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Thornton, WV 26440 91%258$92,824$216,800— cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Knotts Island, NC 27950 91%40$88,250$290,300$255 Very close on everything we compare
Goodells, MI 48027 91%542$90,417$273,700$181 larger
Pierson, MI 49339 91%659$86,611$241,100$206 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Parker, KS 66072 91%1,009$101,875$296,800$235 Very close on everything we compare
Reelsville, IN 46171 90%594$83,607$287,100$208 Very close on everything we compare
Emmett, MI 48022 90%547$96,809$239,800$238 cheaper homes ($53K less) · older residents
Kingsville, MO 64061 90%960$85,987$283,000$229 larger
Mansfield, GA 30055 89%457$84,760$291,900$182 larger
Shafer, MN 55074 89%1,031$106,625$297,500$225 Very close on everything we compare
Mc Louth, KS 66054 89%1,024$98,214$243,500$185 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Nanjemoy, MD 20662 88%131$86,699$397,300$191 pricier homes ($105K more) · 5 min longer commute
Keedysville, MD 21756 88%205$101,786$413,200$204 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger
Litchfield, OH 44253 88%427$91,500$283,300$232 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Dryden, MI 48428 88%556$100,033$311,600$204 larger
Royalston, MA 01368 87%483$102,500$347,300$206 pricier homes ($55K more) · older residents
Concord, GA 30206 87%502$88,205$282,600$197 larger · more renters
Readyville, TN 37149 87%535$78,345$402,900$268 pricier homes ($110K more)
Fayetteville, OH 45118 87%435$97,963$255,800$191 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · more renters
Harris, MN 55032 87%1,051$104,554$380,900$271 pricier homes ($88K more) · larger
Ogilvie, MN 56358 87%1,077$83,594$260,700$211 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
North Waterboro, ME 04061 86%580$94,023$274,300$305 larger · younger residents

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.