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 Raphine, VA 24472

Raphine: median income $51,429, home value $251,000, $268/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Arapahoe, NC 28510 93%243$58,839$264,100$240 Very close on everything we compare
Chiloquin, OR 97624 93%2,241$48,628$233,000$248 larger
Penrose, NC 28766 92%265$57,708$307,000$252 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller
Minong, WI 54859 92%858$55,882$225,300$336 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Hagerman, ID 83332 92%1,893$64,792$226,200$250 Very close on everything we compare
North Creek, NY 12853 91%483$57,950$214,600$236 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Fryeburg, ME 04037 90%602$54,414$278,200$260 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Shell Knob, MO 65747 90%796$55,060$289,900$250 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Prattsville, NY 12468 89%395$51,875$241,100$278 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Panacea, FL 32346 89%622$61,700$267,200$257 Very close on everything we compare
Webster, WI 54893 89%867$56,129$234,200$220 larger
Zionville, NC 28698 88%178$54,402$219,400$264 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 6 min longer commute
Mountain, WI 54149 88%692$50,250$207,500$245 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · older residents
Siren, WI 54872 88%866$60,787$233,200$258 Very close on everything we compare
Center Conway, NH 03813 87%596$56,951$252,200$330 larger
Conover, WI 54519 87%759$59,628$271,600$271 smaller
Mcgregor, MN 55760 87%934$59,474$274,600$276 7 min longer commute
Crawford, CO 81415 87%1,534$59,141$330,900$333 pricier homes ($80K more)
Colebrook, NH 03576 86%626$52,682$214,900$204 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Bostic, NC 28018 86%224$50,727$169,200$202 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Union Mills, NC 28167 86%228$59,732$234,500$217 more homeowners
Belvidere, TN 37306 86%431$39,375$223,400$248 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
Thompsonville, MI 49683 86%573$61,250$187,200$272 cheaper homes ($64K less) · younger residents
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 86%760$62,841$282,200$246 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Trego, WI 54888 86%852$63,971$240,500$249 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.