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 Medina, TX 78055

Medina: median income $85,345, home value $266,500, $250/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Shelby, AL 35143 85%784$72,500$220,000$214 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · younger residents
Renfrew, PA 16053 83%1,323$76,054$297,500$218 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · younger residents
Leslie, GA 31764 83%915$86,573$211,500— cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents
Elkton, FL 32033 83%1,070$86,185$330,600$214 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 83%695$78,750$335,700$286 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents
Borrego Springs, CA 92004 83%1,029$74,018$390,400$204 pricier homes ($124K more) · larger
Lakeside, OR 97449 83%1,661$66,000$316,700$272 pricier homes ($50K more)
Townsend, TN 37882 82%988$69,012$344,500$315 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger
Cabot, PA 16023 81%1,332$86,042$255,600$263 larger · younger residents
Bracey, VA 23919 81%1,308$66,750$300,000$203 pricier homes ($34K more) · younger residents
White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645 81%1,320$77,241$287,800$300 younger residents · more single-family homes
Mears, MI 49436 80%1,189$67,279$255,000$285 younger residents · more homeowners
Townsend, WI 54175 80%1,217$87,614$270,500$282 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Walker, MN 56484 80%1,218$67,019$311,200$272 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · younger residents
Valley, WA 99181 80%1,597$63,661$267,600$218 Very close on everything we compare
Margaretville, NY 12455 79%1,613$85,926$255,100$264 younger residents · more single-family homes · older homes
Swan Lake, NY 12783 79%1,591$67,778$248,200$251 smaller · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Bokeelia, FL 33922 79%1,067$71,164$355,800$269 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · younger residents
Hagerman, ID 83332 79%1,242$64,792$226,200$250 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
Ottertail, MN 56571 78%1,163$85,865$363,100$291 pricier homes ($97K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Kimberling City, MO 65686 78%579$58,363$257,300$197 lower income ($27K less) · larger
Boydton, VA 23917 77%1,295$73,965$201,600$187 cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents
Arapahoe, NC 28510 77%1,357$58,839$264,100$240 lower income ($27K less) · younger residents
Melrose, FL 32666 77%1,036$68,765$218,000$222 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · younger residents
Birchwood, WI 54817 77%1,169$83,036$275,000$229 younger residents · more single-family homes

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.