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, TX 76687

Thornton: median income $73,323, home value $254,500, $326/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ten Mile, TN 37880 92%743$65,208$215,900$258 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Dixmont, ME 04932 91%1,738$75,952$190,700$277 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Wirtz, VA 24184 89%1,032$68,909$228,100$226 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Crouse, NC 28033 88%918$78,458$224,000$234 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Cunningham, TN 37052 88%623$69,423$224,300$211 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Rockbridge, OH 43149 88%963$57,500$257,600$342 older homes
Sullivan, OH 44880 88%1,035$69,505$259,900$245 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Isle, MN 56342 88%1,033$63,295$246,500$269 larger · older residents
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 88%1,374$72,500$398,000$296 pricier homes ($144K more)
Petersburg, TN 37144 87%629$64,620$238,100$193 larger
Finlayson, MN 55735 87%1,040$63,827$271,200$284 5 min shorter commute
Saint Albans, ME 04971 86%1,731$65,600$194,000$244 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Elliottsburg, PA 17024 86%1,237$79,292$295,100$308 pricier homes ($41K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Rock Creek, OH 44084 86%1,118$73,288$209,700$227 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · younger residents
Hillman, MN 56338 86%1,023$70,938$289,600$295 pricier homes ($35K more) · older homes
Maurepas, LA 70449 86%353$78,405$239,100$200 larger
Boulevard, CA 91905 86%1,162$77,886$394,400$326 pricier homes ($140K more)
Vader, WA 98593 86%1,746$84,244$343,800$273 pricier homes ($89K more)
Sutton, AK 99674 86%3,114$63,688$233,800$269 6 min shorter commute
Danbury, NH 03230 85%1,580$71,685$240,700$272 older homes
Waterford, ME 04088 85%1,651$63,750$276,800$329 Very close on everything we compare
Gouldsboro, ME 04607 85%1,779$60,152$253,400$270 smaller
Heathsville, VA 22473 85%1,223$68,021$261,700$260 larger
Bentonville, VA 22610 85%1,147$81,500$337,700$246 pricier homes ($83K more) · more single-family homes
Dewitt, VA 23840 85%1,143$82,153$278,200$201 Very close on everything we compare

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.