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 Java, VA 24565

Java: median income $41,683, home value $148,800, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Corning, OH 43730 91%249$45,313$172,900$131 larger
Melville, LA 71353 90%838$37,405$118,300— cheaper homes ($31K less)
Strawberry, AR 72469 89%676$44,421$161,100$113 6 min shorter commute
Autaugaville, AL 36003 88%524$42,554$145,700— larger · more homeowners
Stockport, OH 43787 88%235$45,880$153,000$128 larger
Varney, WV 25696 87%171$48,077$109,400— cheaper homes ($39K less)
Traphill, NC 28685 86%108$46,406$123,200$312 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Mount Vernon, AR 72111 86%731$52,059$178,700$147 pricier homes ($30K more)
Mount Nebo, WV 26679 85%126$53,459$164,900$179 Very close on everything we compare
Whitleyville, TN 38588 85%361$44,583$209,200$222 pricier homes ($60K more)
Ravenden Springs, AR 72460 85%668$45,673$175,500$54 pricier homes ($27K more) · more homeowners
Haworth, OK 74740 85%895$41,141$99,700— cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Kennard, TX 75847 85%988$42,188$121,700$88 cheaper homes ($27K less) · 7 min longer commute
Flemington, MO 65650 84%785$50,194$120,000$195 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Penasco, NM 87553 84%1,469$48,906$202,700— pricier homes ($54K more)
Flat Rock, AL 35966 83%392$43,883$149,700$192 larger
Lobelville, TN 37097 83%487$50,658$134,300$235 larger
Eminence, MO 65466 83%677$40,625$226,500$216 pricier homes ($78K more)
Leasburg, MO 65535 83%669$56,660$139,500$173 Very close on everything we compare
Raymondville, MO 65555 83%696$43,631$118,300$103 cheaper homes ($31K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Bunch, OK 74931 83%870$56,667$125,500$160 5 min shorter commute
Reedy, WV 25270 82%186$44,129$200,800— pricier homes ($52K more) · older residents
Mill Creek, WV 26280 82%136$46,335$134,100$115 7 min shorter commute
Tignall, GA 30668 82%287$49,107$119,800$109 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Shady Dale, GA 31085 82%345$46,375$116,100$200 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · younger 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.