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 Germanton, NC 27019

Germanton: median income $59,176, home value $205,000, $174/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wild Rose, WI 54984 95%722$64,120$216,200$196 Very close on everything we compare
Middleburgh, NY 12122 93%536$55,875$174,300$162 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Colebrook, NH 03576 92%752$52,682$214,900$204 Very close on everything we compare
Guilford, ME 04443 92%835$53,990$166,700$202 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Sebring, FL 33876 92%615$55,564$174,100$159 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Lewiston, MI 49756 92%630$53,333$162,900$178 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Osakis, MN 56360 92%1,018$69,013$246,300$173 pricier homes ($41K more)
Centre, AL 35960 91%339$52,619$181,200$169 larger
Fall Branch, TN 37656 91%134$63,617$236,600$194 pricier homes ($32K more)
Hilham, TN 38568 91%291$61,556$174,400$204 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Whigham, GA 39897 91%441$54,639$141,500$152 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Staffordsville, KY 41256 91%182$60,583$203,800$142 smaller · younger residents
Remus, MI 49340 91%570$54,417$190,900$209 younger residents
Friendship, WI 53934 91%734$48,782$166,100$176 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Montello, WI 53949 91%708$64,611$206,400$182 larger
Wausaukee, WI 54177 91%744$62,991$166,800$208 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Webster, WI 54893 91%913$56,129$234,200$220 pricier homes ($29K more)
Grapeland, TX 75844 91%932$60,376$160,100$166 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Worthington, PA 16262 90%317$69,375$195,500$198 Very close on everything we compare
Mc Connellsburg, PA 17233 90%281$61,296$195,500$166 younger residents
Concord, VA 24538 90%101$71,224$200,500$191 younger residents
White Pine, TN 37890 90%172$59,355$234,200$197 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · younger residents
Medon, TN 38356 90%489$60,594$159,300$169 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Strasburg, OH 44680 90%307$69,509$206,600$179 Very close on everything we compare
Au Gres, MI 48703 90%567$64,792$172,100$160 cheaper homes ($33K less)

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.