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 Petersburg, VA 23803

Petersburg: median income $57,813, home value $230,400, $183/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gastonia, NC 28054 96%245$61,035$245,100$174 Very close on everything we compare
Greensboro, NC 27406 93%152$59,563$204,400$164 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Gretna, LA 70056 93%881$59,027$230,500$137 Very close on everything we compare
Grand Prairie, TX 75051 93%1,146$58,245$227,400$190 Very close on everything we compare
Goldsboro, NC 27530 92%132$54,504$200,300$148 cheaper homes ($30K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Hurst, TX 76053 92%1,153$64,141$270,900$196 pricier homes ($41K more)
Weatherford, TX 76086 92%1,188$60,578$258,100$199 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Hagerstown, MD 21740 91%168$62,873$262,300$174 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Carrollton, GA 30117 91%496$61,842$267,700$173 pricier homes ($37K more) · newer homes
Rome, GA 30165 91%479$68,089$229,500$161 Very close on everything we compare
Athens, AL 35611 91%556$57,377$225,600$158 Very close on everything we compare
Sanford, NC 27330 90%153$61,300$242,700$160 newer homes
Greenville, SC 29611 90%322$51,565$195,700$181 cheaper homes ($35K less) · more walkable
Rome, GA 30161 90%476$61,667$205,900$155 Very close on everything we compare
Hopkinsville, KY 42240 90%552$51,534$174,200$160 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Newark, OH 43055 90%331$63,974$203,100$172 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Burlington, NC 27217 89%131$51,950$173,200$182 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Gastonia, NC 28052 89%249$49,643$187,500$174 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Salisbury, NC 28144 89%199$52,568$226,700$159 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Fayetteville, NC 28304 89%172$58,563$172,000$146 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Plant City, FL 33563 89%691$60,131$226,900$191 smaller · more homeowners
Winter Haven, FL 33880 89%684$56,390$228,300$169 more homeowners
Fairborn, OH 45324 89%396$64,979$184,200$155 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Westland, MI 48185 89%473$60,854$194,000$167 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Grandview, MO 64030 89%933$53,216$188,800$149 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 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.