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 Friendly, WV 26146

Friendly: median income $37,147, home value $166,900, $86/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Strawberry, AR 72469 84%610$44,421$161,100$113 older residents
Baskerville, VA 23915 82%244$50,815$156,600$119 Very close on everything we compare
Raymondville, MO 65555 82%600$43,631$118,300$103 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Java, VA 24565 81%209$41,683$148,800— older residents
New Castle, KY 40050 81%233$44,688$127,300$126 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Crenshaw, MS 38621 80%612$36,685$91,600$85 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 6 min longer commute
Beverly, OH 45715 79%31$47,176$176,000$115 larger · 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Dodson, LA 71422 79%828$36,111$108,500— cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Cove City, NC 28523 78%361$45,452$158,600$118 larger · 9 min shorter commute
Pocahontas, TN 38061 78%526$38,047$155,400— older residents
Coffeeville, MS 38922 78%613$36,473$104,400$100 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · older residents
Dunnville, KY 42528 78%266$50,227$158,800$76 larger · newer homes
Pattonsburg, MO 64670 78%695$52,083$177,400— Very close on everything we compare
Hartville, MO 65667 78%639$34,444$210,700$139 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Dawson, TX 76639 78%1,021$48,514$154,400$125 larger
Breezewood, PA 15533 77%153$49,570$184,800$65 more apartments and townhomes
Ulysses, PA 16948 77%239$46,116$153,800$98 7 min shorter commute
Saint Paul, VA 24283 77%190$40,402$114,200$72 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Brantley, AL 36009 77%621$38,995$114,200— cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Qulin, MO 63961 77%540$39,167$90,200$93 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Rowesville, SC 29133 76%423$36,987$136,400— cheaper homes ($31K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Beaver, OH 45613 76%101$30,703$159,700$139 larger · older residents
Loreauville, LA 70552 76%885$50,313$148,600$64 older residents
Dowelltown, TN 37059 75%360$49,510$232,200$144 pricier homes ($65K more)
Twelve Mile, IN 46988 75%288$44,792$165,500$68 younger residents · 6 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.