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 Thornton, WV 26440

Thornton: median income $92,824, home value $216,800, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Elizabeth, MO 65075 94%669$87,431$283,100— pricier homes ($66K more)
Mc Louth, KS 66054 92%818$98,214$243,500$185 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Union, NH 03887 91%540$91,875$292,800$251 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger
Johnsonville, NY 12094 91%414$92,266$260,900$215 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger
Suffolk, VA 23438 91%258$93,750$292,600$223 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger
Pierson, MI 49339 91%401$86,611$241,100$206 larger
Windthorst, TX 76389 91%1,101$98,750$229,200$122 larger
Cartersville, VA 23027 90%151$95,407$243,200$224 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Poplar, WI 54864 90%782$91,250$242,100$182 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Wales, MA 01081 89%445$86,979$296,800$324 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Hebron, ME 04238 89%595$92,550$242,300$309 pricier homes ($26K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Bainbridge, IN 46105 89%369$87,736$248,500$142 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Parker, KS 66072 89%814$101,875$296,800$235 pricier homes ($80K more)
Palermo, ME 04354 88%641$89,095$259,700$253 pricier homes ($43K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Foster, KY 41043 88%231$87,695$211,800$160 larger
Perrinton, MI 48871 88%362$84,803$230,600$169 larger · more renters
Cortland, NE 68331 88%893$96,250$313,900$196 pricier homes ($97K more) · older residents
Monroe, ME 04951 87%666$81,300$220,300$191 6 min shorter commute
Trufant, MI 49347 87%395$91,477$177,100$223 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · older homes
New Virginia, IA 50210 87%737$87,813$324,600$108 pricier homes ($108K more)
Burtrum, MN 56318 87%876$84,297$272,200$168 pricier homes ($55K more) · 6 min shorter commute
New Douglas, IL 62074 87%527$79,808$261,400$90 pricier homes ($45K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Bartelso, IL 62218 87%516$91,250$217,800$193 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Stewartsville, MO 64490 87%778$88,750$181,800$189 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
North Waterboro, ME 04061 86%560$94,023$274,300$305 pricier homes ($58K more) · 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.