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 Lawsonville, NC 27022

Lawsonville: median income $43,281, home value $162,500, $175/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Muscadine, AL 36269 90%349$44,618$127,500$194 cheaper homes ($35K less) · newer homes
Bronston, KY 42518 87%247$54,103$156,000$194 larger
Penasco, NM 87553 87%1,415$48,906$202,700— pricier homes ($40K more)
Reevesville, SC 29471 86%231$38,500$109,700$207 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Washington, LA 70589 86%789$49,650$129,300$146 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Depew, OK 74028 84%909$46,500$179,100$153 more single-family homes
Smithdale, MS 39664 83%697$42,500$113,200$189 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · older residents
Sanford, CO 81151 83%1,417$43,417$188,500$147 pricier homes ($26K more) · more single-family homes
Salley, SC 29137 82%211$41,116$107,200$134 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Porum, OK 74455 82%845$51,786$115,400$224 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger
Ruby, SC 29741 81%123$45,000$117,000$152 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Grady, AL 36036 81%459$47,557$141,700— 6 min shorter commute
Racine, OH 45771 81%194$43,750$148,200$138 larger · more renters · more single-family homes
Shade, OH 45776 81%211$43,856$166,900$133 9 min shorter commute · newer homes
Macomb, OK 74852 81%946$59,821$147,500— Very close on everything we compare
Ferrum, VA 24088 80%30$41,769$152,700$163 larger · younger residents
Flat Rock, AL 35966 80%330$43,883$149,700$192 larger · more single-family homes
Duff, TN 37729 80%213$42,772$112,300$103 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Hardin, KY 42048 80%447$55,714$138,800$134 larger · more single-family homes
Phillipsburg, MO 65722 80%694$48,378$157,100$128 7 min shorter commute
Frierson, LA 71027 80%822$42,781$104,300$198 cheaper homes ($58K less) · newer homes
Rose Bud, AR 72137 80%668$52,612$164,800$148 larger · more single-family homes · newer homes
Huachuca City, AZ 85616 80%1,749$51,813$175,300$162 larger
Corinna, ME 04928 79%816$56,547$163,200$213 larger · more single-family homes
Hiwassee, VA 24347 79%41$55,156$159,600$172 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.