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 Check, VA 24072

Check: median income $109,500, home value $243,400, $170/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cashion, OK 73016 91%973$103,872$285,400$186 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Davis Junction, IL 61020 90%586$105,769$202,800$164 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Aviston, IL 62216 88%523$120,139$260,900$197 larger
Erwinville, LA 70729 88%783$109,653$300,000$187 pricier homes ($57K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Essex, IL 60935 87%513$110,000$248,900$185 Very close on everything we compare
Buffalo Gap, TX 79508 87%1,158$105,000$210,000$210 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 6 min shorter commute
De Soto, IA 50069 86%799$98,056$232,100$202 older homes
Urbana, IA 52345 86%716$115,179$226,800$134 8 min shorter commute
De Mossville, KY 41033 85%261$100,260$216,300$179 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Fountaintown, IN 46130 85%352$124,427$330,400$175 pricier homes ($87K more) · larger · older homes
Maple Hill, KS 66507 85%870$96,786$218,400$172 cheaper homes ($25K less) · older homes
Estell Manor, NJ 08319 84%335$100,278$315,000$219 pricier homes ($72K more) · older residents
Lithopolis, OH 43136 84%236$114,375$335,400$187 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Saint Anthony, IN 47575 84%371$125,625$318,900— pricier homes ($76K more)
Lizton, IN 46149 83%394$88,750$247,800$179 larger · older homes
Shafer, MN 55074 83%867$106,625$297,500$225 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger · older residents
Saint Elizabeth, MO 65075 83%663$87,431$283,100— pricier homes ($40K more)
Benton, KS 67017 83%926$88,750$259,400$150 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Buskirk, NY 12028 82%543$96,891$247,700— older homes
Johnsonville, NY 12094 82%538$92,266$260,900$215 larger
Thornton, WV 26440 82%159$92,824$216,800— cheaper homes ($27K less) · older residents
Commercial Point, OH 43116 82%243$113,229$351,800$184 pricier homes ($108K more) · larger · newer homes
Pierson, MI 49339 82%516$86,611$241,100$206 larger · older residents
Dover, MN 55929 82%788$118,977$332,300$166 pricier homes ($89K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Metamora, OH 43540 81%377$119,583$259,300$167 5 min shorter commute · 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.