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 Blacksburg, VA 24060

Blacksburg: median income $67,675, home value $447,600, $237/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Provo, UT 84604 90%1,686$75,571$582,000$250 pricier homes ($134K more)
State College, PA 16801 89%281$61,836$414,600$228 cheaper homes ($33K less) · more walkable
State College, PA 16803 88%281$73,532$413,700$195 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Gainesville, FL 32608 88%540$61,588$358,200$206 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Durham, NC 27705 87%119$73,066$455,000$261 older residents · 5 min longer commute
Amherst, MA 01002 86%551$70,818$481,100$314 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Ithaca, NY 14850 86%415$71,445$353,500$228 cheaper homes ($94K less) · less walkable · older homes
Raleigh, NC 27606 86%141$78,371$457,900$247 5 min longer commute
Iowa City, IA 52246 86%666$62,521$348,900$176 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller
Corvallis, OR 97333 86%2,266$65,191$511,100$351 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller
Durham, NC 27707 85%122$74,406$407,800$249 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Baton Rouge, LA 70808 85%775$69,418$409,900$213 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more homeowners
Birmingham, AL 35209 83%444$71,439$504,600$311 pricier homes ($57K more) · older residents · older homes
Fayetteville, AR 72703 83%765$60,568$391,000$240 cheaper homes ($57K less) · older residents
Ames, IA 50014 82%778$60,731$336,800$211 cheaper homes ($111K less) · less walkable
Logan, UT 84341 82%1,691$69,310$465,700$203 smaller · newer homes
Clemson, SC 29631 81%222$48,800$400,400$214 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
West Lafayette, IN 47906 81%413$53,103$323,200$186 cheaper homes ($124K less) · larger · newer homes
Moscow, ID 83843 81%1,967$59,444$380,600$257 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller · less walkable
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 81%1,739$64,626$589,100$399 pricier homes ($142K more)
Chico, CA 95926 81%2,226$61,920$473,600$286 pricier homes ($26K more)
Athens, GA 30606 80%284$63,328$362,500$201 cheaper homes ($85K less) · older residents
Bloomington, IN 47401 80%354$66,906$364,600$191 cheaper homes ($83K less) · older residents
Ames, IA 50010 80%773$65,398$253,500$190 cheaper homes ($194K less)
Lawrence, KS 66047 80%814$65,392$342,300$173 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · older 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.