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 Lester, WV 25865

Lester: median income $38,173, home value $170,000, $62/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oakwood, TX 75855 86%927$45,962$186,000— larger
Dover, NC 28526 81%278$39,110$124,200$42 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Glennie, MI 48737 79%488$38,000$122,500$96 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Fulton, AR 71838 79%756$48,125$112,300— cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Bolton, MS 39041 78%635$41,137$174,600— larger · younger residents
Shirleysburg, PA 17260 76%256$45,324$203,100$109 pricier homes ($33K more) · younger residents
Wheatland, MO 65779 76%659$44,018$179,700$137 Very close on everything we compare
Clover, VA 24534 74%151$41,038$137,500— cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents · older homes
Maynard, AR 72444 74%534$32,276$152,800— younger residents
Holladay, TN 38341 73%396$48,944$139,900$101 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · younger residents
Grand Rivers, KY 42045 73%384$50,549$157,800$90 younger residents · more renters
Lower Salem, OH 45745 73%127$44,250$105,700$85 cheaper homes ($64K less) · younger residents · more renters
Rudy, AR 72952 73%735$49,254$165,600$62 younger residents
Keysville, GA 30816 72%319$44,559$145,400$106 younger residents
Coulterville, IL 62237 71%455$55,208$150,200$85 larger · younger residents
Delight, AR 71940 71%729$47,935$97,800$64 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Rich Square, NC 27869 70%243$43,301$115,200$113 cheaper homes ($55K less) · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Ehrhardt, SC 29081 70%320$38,147$105,700— cheaper homes ($64K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Groveton, TX 75845 70%909$48,333$104,600$89 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · younger residents
Bingham, ME 04920 69%778$39,860$128,100$138 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Winkelman, AZ 85192 69%1,685$59,922$161,800— Very close on everything we compare
Gordon, AL 36343 68%507$47,188$98,900$59 cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Oquawka, IL 61469 68%560$54,932$105,400$78 cheaper homes ($65K less) · older homes
Mammoth, AZ 85618 68%1,684$51,953$102,500— cheaper homes ($68K less) · younger residents · older homes
Hartland, ME 04943 67%787$46,141$139,200$113 cheaper homes ($31K less) · 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.