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 Lynch Station, VA 24571

Lynch Station: median income $32,218, home value $169,200, $219/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hot Springs, MT 59845 86%1,922$31,970$191,100$179 smaller · more renters
Bulger, PA 15019 84%231$32,926$157,800$200 smaller
Shaw, MS 38773 84%689$30,661$110,400— cheaper homes ($59K less)
Lake Luzerne, NY 12846 79%515$46,344$221,100$208 pricier homes ($52K more)
Belvidere, TN 37306 79%406$39,375$223,400$248 pricier homes ($54K more) · newer homes
Antonito, CO 81120 79%1,467$47,546$188,200$182 Very close on everything we compare
Stantonville, TN 38379 78%526$41,136$170,800$250 younger residents
Van Lear, KY 41265 78%190$35,833$157,400$105 smaller
Ronceverte, WV 24970 77%74$44,118$120,800$190 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Gainesville, MO 65655 77%724$37,337$176,000$145 older residents
Cherryfield, ME 04622 76%786$43,854$165,900$251 smaller · older residents
Sparta, NC 28675 76%109$44,560$215,300$218 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger
Turtletown, TN 37391 76%314$39,464$213,100$215 pricier homes ($44K more) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Prudenville, MI 48651 76%567$43,712$164,800$176 larger · younger residents
Phillips, ME 04966 75%707$47,969$176,500$208 7 min longer commute
Oden, AR 71961 75%829$37,054$124,100$253 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Karnack, TX 75661 75%898$41,929$158,500$258 7 min longer commute
Mifflinville, PA 18631 74%313$46,125$214,100$221 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · younger residents
Marlinton, WV 24954 74%87$37,899$144,000$109 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Yanceyville, NC 27379 74%53$38,472$169,900$191 larger · more renters
Lansing, NC 28643 74%129$44,509$149,500$299 larger · younger residents
Simsboro, LA 71275 74%827$36,225$110,300$165 cheaper homes ($59K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Tuskahoma, OK 74574 74%906$39,896$134,500$198 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · younger residents
Rawlings, MD 21557 73%165$34,936$123,300$148 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Maynard, AR 72444 73%640$32,276$152,800— 12 min longer 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.