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 Penn Laird, VA 22846

Penn Laird: median income $115,491, home value $450,000, $209/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mantorville, MN 55955 93%825$132,524$405,700$240 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Oldenburg, IN 47036 92%354$98,300$413,700— cheaper homes ($36K less)
Modena, NY 12548 91%335$132,083$428,800— Very close on everything we compare
Swisher, IA 52338 91%721$119,605$392,700$170 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Hartsburg, MO 65039 91%730$125,714$412,400$176 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
Cologne, MN 55322 90%891$124,861$426,200$181 larger
Crooks, SD 57020 90%1,007$101,500$320,400$169 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Renner, SD 57055 90%1,001$120,341$474,500$282 Very close on everything we compare
Malcolm, NE 68402 90%976$123,000$449,000$241 Very close on everything we compare
Long Grove, IA 52756 88%664$116,250$358,000$189 cheaper homes ($92K less) · older homes
Oronoco, MN 55960 88%814$130,227$481,200$214 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Jefferson, SD 57038 88%978$106,250$332,300$185 cheaper homes ($118K less) · older homes
Denton, NE 68339 88%974$101,146$444,700$272 Very close on everything we compare
Roca, NE 68430 88%963$145,729$468,900$233 higher income ($30K more)
Palmer Lake, CO 80133 88%1,404$120,625$482,500$254 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · older residents
Millville, UT 84326 88%1,752$91,971$494,600$207 pricier homes ($45K more)
Edgecomb, ME 04556 87%613$108,750$348,400$296 cheaper homes ($102K less) · older homes
Barneveld, WI 53507 87%664$113,261$347,400$224 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger
Sherwood, WI 54169 87%635$109,524$351,200$208 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger
Bennet, NE 68317 87%956$108,056$294,100$166 cheaper homes ($156K less)
Richfield, WI 53076 86%598$107,414$447,800$241 larger · older homes
North Prairie, WI 53153 86%594$152,543$430,100$271 higher income ($37K more) · larger
Wales, WI 53183 86%596$108,827$398,700$207 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · older homes
Brooklyn, WI 53521 86%635$108,036$391,100$263 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Arcadia, OK 73007 86%1,038$120,556$494,200$230 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger

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.