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 Sandy Ridge, NC 27046

Sandy Ridge: median income $64,464, home value $181,500, $333/sq ft, 50-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chesterhill, OH 43728 87%229$66,000$143,500— cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hineston, LA 71438 87%813$63,750$134,100— cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · newer homes
Ararat, VA 24053 84%25$63,646$171,900— 8 min shorter commute
Spurger, TX 77660 80%905$61,500$181,900— smaller · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Saint Landry, LA 71367 79%800$62,159$119,700— cheaper homes ($62K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Grovespring, MO 65662 77%694$51,339$216,100$212 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Ethelsville, AL 35461 76%507$47,375$174,400— 5 min shorter commute
Turners Station, KY 40075 75%310$64,375$164,000$250 smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Quincy, IN 47456 74%412$69,896$179,400— younger residents
Branch, MI 49402 74%602$51,324$169,800$239 8 min shorter commute
Moapa, NV 89025 74%1,907$59,777$316,800$254 pricier homes ($135K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Del Rio, TN 37727 73%169$47,652$132,600$239 cheaper homes ($49K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Moscow, OH 45153 73%278$57,176$226,100— pricier homes ($45K more) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Lonedell, MO 63060 73%605$54,926$179,500$192 8 min shorter commute
Baker, WV 26801 72%192$56,429$206,700$238 pricier homes ($25K more) · 10 min shorter commute · more walkable
Hancock, WI 54943 72%725$62,500$207,100$250 pricier homes ($26K more) · 12 min shorter commute
Floodwood, MN 55736 72%975$65,179$164,500$180 smaller · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Astor, FL 32102 71%513$57,588$161,100$206 more apartments and townhomes
Weirsdale, FL 32195 71%530$57,000$215,100$226 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Brogue, PA 17309 70%305$84,917$262,500$233 pricier homes ($81K more) · younger residents
Hillman, MN 56338 70%973$70,938$289,600$295 pricier homes ($108K more) · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Ravenna, TX 75476 70%927$57,697$249,300— pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · newer homes
West Point, CA 95255 70%2,202$51,364$275,700$236 pricier homes ($94K more) · more single-family homes
Coulterville, CA 95311 70%2,191$56,029$316,000$251 pricier homes ($135K more) · younger residents
Tahuya, WA 98588 70%2,299$61,975$336,300$448 pricier homes ($155K more) · more walkable · newer 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.