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 Vansant, VA 24656

Vansant: median income $43,646, home value $95,600, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blair, SC 29015 91%190$43,977$106,600$276 smaller · younger residents
Gordon, AL 36343 91%453$47,188$98,900$59 smaller
Hornbeak, TN 38232 91%401$46,272$103,200$148 Very close on everything we compare
Elizabethtown, IL 62931 91%339$49,605$105,100$124 smaller
Camp Hill, AL 36850 90%363$42,000$84,200$205 younger residents
Seward, PA 15954 89%279$43,958$81,800$111 Very close on everything we compare
Gilbert, WV 25621 89%33$51,563$85,600$55 Very close on everything we compare
Harrison, GA 31035 89%301$41,563$78,900$106 smaller
Irwinton, GA 31042 89%307$36,569$83,000$124 Very close on everything we compare
Collinwood, TN 38450 88%341$42,887$107,700$200 more single-family homes
Mammoth, AZ 85618 88%1,638$51,953$102,500— Very close on everything we compare
Roaring River, NC 28669 87%92$47,358$137,500$325 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Lynchburg, SC 29080 87%244$36,467$105,100$108 younger residents
Georgetown, GA 39854 87%403$41,536$102,700$166 7 min shorter commute
Mc Neal, AZ 85617 87%1,623$43,967$123,000$151 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Calhoun Falls, SC 29628 86%214$39,444$91,100$128 more renters
Ragland, AL 35131 86%328$43,738$96,800$108 younger residents
Carbon Hill, AL 35549 86%379$47,818$67,400$118 cheaper homes ($28K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lena, MS 39094 86%524$56,422$97,000$128 Very close on everything we compare
Elkhorn City, KY 41522 86%18$37,331$90,600$104 larger · 6 min longer commute
Mc Dermott, OH 45652 86%126$42,708$137,000— pricier homes ($41K more)
Delight, AR 71940 86%676$47,935$97,800$64 smaller · more single-family homes
Bulls Gap, TN 37711 85%80$42,406$121,500$161 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
Holladay, TN 38341 85%343$48,944$139,900$101 pricier homes ($44K more)
Labadieville, LA 70372 85%718$40,659$105,200$119 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.