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.

Reset

Towns most like Stony Creek, VA 23882

Stony Creek: median income $63,030, home value $155,000, $65/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lowman, NY 14861 95%357$64,904$149,100— Very close on everything we compare
Calhoun, TN 37309 93%422$63,699$172,600$83 Very close on everything we compare
Glenmont, OH 44628 93%354$61,518$183,200$70 pricier homes ($28K more)
Sumner, MI 48889 93%586$60,200$157,900$55 Very close on everything we compare
Allen, MI 49227 93%522$53,587$159,000— Very close on everything we compare
Magazine, AR 72943 93%921$62,022$154,200— younger residents
Stuart, OK 74570 93%1,054$57,131$163,000— Very close on everything we compare
Grampian, PA 16838 92%286$57,917$118,400— cheaper homes ($37K less)
Sandyville, WV 25275 92%267$64,632$164,600— younger residents
Noble, IL 62868 92%600$61,645$116,300— cheaper homes ($39K less)
Odin, IL 62870 92%644$59,821$134,000$91 Very close on everything we compare
Sigel, PA 15860 91%314$65,774$148,800— smaller
Newville, AL 36353 91%589$66,318$121,300$77 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
Dongola, IL 62926 91%644$64,583$113,300$86 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Welch, OK 74369 91%976$54,250$153,600$68 Very close on everything we compare
Vanderbilt, PA 15486 90%246$66,250$164,000$79 Very close on everything we compare
Toomsuba, MS 39364 90%700$65,294$165,900— Very close on everything we compare
Bardwell, KY 42023 90%639$63,229$118,100$66 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents
La Center, KY 42056 90%636$56,776$131,300$91 Very close on everything we compare
Bloomingdale, MI 49026 90%588$68,203$161,400$96 Very close on everything we compare
Tamaroa, IL 62888 90%650$66,136$112,500$74 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Wayne City, IL 62895 90%617$51,131$117,800— cheaper homes ($37K less)
Thayer, KS 66776 90%991$57,304$136,100— Very close on everything we compare
Cushing, TX 75760 90%1,053$63,182$124,600$63 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Munnsville, NY 13409 89%429$72,333$137,300— older homes

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.