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 Virginia Beach, VA 23456

Virginia Beach: median income $130,533, home value $474,700, $251/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Prior Lake, MN 55372 94%1,060$145,499$467,400$206 smaller
Lakeville, MN 55044 92%1,053$141,551$488,600$201 Very close on everything we compare
Andover, MN 55304 92%1,070$131,700$421,300$202 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Allen, TX 75002 92%1,192$137,037$447,800$218 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Lewisville, TX 75077 92%1,216$127,211$464,000$219 Very close on everything we compare
Pickerington, OH 43147 91%425$126,534$348,300$185 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Rockford, MI 49341 91%667$113,989$382,600$224 cheaper homes ($92K less) · smaller
Cottage Grove, MN 55016 91%1,043$120,715$377,700$202 cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller
Bartlett, IL 60103 91%743$133,793$379,000$232 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Saint Charles, MO 63304 91%808$114,442$351,000$198 cheaper homes ($124K less)
Layton, UT 84040 91%1,939$128,365$542,500$210 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller
Niceville, FL 32578 90%738$108,972$447,700$257 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Hudson, WI 54016 90%1,039$113,085$452,000$224 smaller
Rosemount, MN 55068 90%1,049$127,798$395,900$198 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller
Wilmington, NC 28409 89%205$111,048$422,600$252 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Simpsonville, SC 29681 89%375$114,986$360,400$175 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Cumming, GA 30040 89%488$137,211$526,100$219 pricier homes ($51K more)
Evans, GA 30809 89%409$125,272$367,900$167 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Loveland, OH 45140 89%480$114,827$360,300$207 cheaper homes ($114K less)
Clarkston, MI 48348 89%571$129,410$444,500$212 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
New Lenox, IL 60451 89%718$137,404$393,100$212 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Friendswood, TX 77546 89%1,212$123,756$380,700$184 cheaper homes ($94K less) · more renters
Sewell, NJ 08080 88%214$122,262$357,000$229 cheaper homes ($118K less) · smaller
Collegeville, PA 19426 88%241$151,748$498,700$250 more apartments and townhomes
Matthews, NC 28104 88%285$138,017$533,500$253 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller

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.