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 Penhook, VA 24137

Penhook: median income $65,361, home value $210,400, $451/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Macon, NC 27551 89%97$59,375$175,000$312 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Seabrook, SC 29940 87%307$54,177$172,100$337 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Cross Hill, SC 29332 86%225$59,091$158,700$300 cheaper homes ($52K less) · younger residents
Winkelman, AZ 85192 84%1,774$59,922$161,800— cheaper homes ($49K less) · 5 min longer commute
Ivanhoe, NC 28447 82%178$77,134$241,300— pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Harkers Island, NC 28531 82%232$60,000$313,100$401 pricier homes ($103K more) · smaller
Littleton, NC 27850 81%106$65,672$192,600$314 larger · younger residents
Butler, TN 37640 81%135$55,402$174,000$304 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents
Steinhatchee, FL 32359 80%544$51,125$228,100$275 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Brinnon, WA 98320 80%2,299$55,893$285,200$399 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Shelby, AL 35143 79%471$72,500$220,000$214 Very close on everything we compare
Mears, MI 49436 79%588$67,279$255,000$285 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Ridgeway, SC 29130 78%193$63,963$265,500$273 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Palmyra, TN 37142 78%435$59,083$267,400$254 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Riverside, WA 98849 78%2,149$63,875$277,200$408 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Arapahoe, NC 28510 77%207$58,839$264,100$240 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller
Jacksons Gap, AL 36861 77%448$65,577$273,500$414 pricier homes ($63K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Edgard, LA 70049 77%788$68,953$182,900— cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Oakwood, TX 75855 77%993$45,962$186,000— Very close on everything we compare
Dresden, ME 04342 76%717$74,844$240,100$259 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Leslie, GA 31764 76%425$86,573$211,500— smaller · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Melrose, FL 32666 76%515$68,765$218,000$222 larger
Townsend, TN 37882 76%243$69,012$344,500$315 pricier homes ($134K more) · more single-family homes
De Soto, WI 54624 76%755$81,518$186,000$258 smaller
Crumpler, NC 28617 75%101$62,204$244,600$271 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute

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.