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 Hillsborough, NC 27278

Hillsborough: median income $105,887, home value $414,100, $235/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hudson, WI 54016 96%942$113,085$452,000$224 pricier homes ($38K more)
Midlothian, VA 23114 95%126$112,738$409,100$220 Very close on everything we compare
Peachtree City, GA 30269 95%362$113,807$481,500$238 pricier homes ($67K more)
Avon Lake, OH 44012 95%406$115,567$368,300$213 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Saline, MI 48176 95%490$114,206$408,300$229 Very close on everything we compare
Oregon, WI 53575 95%724$107,885$432,800$230 smaller
Yorktown, VA 23692 94%164$109,066$417,200$222 Very close on everything we compare
Aurora, OH 44202 94%382$118,750$375,300$207 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Brighton, MI 48116 94%512$106,763$385,900$216 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Mandeville, LA 70471 94%744$96,501$394,300$181 Very close on everything we compare
Glen Allen, VA 23060 93%139$104,468$409,900$224 6 min shorter commute
Savannah, GA 31410 93%301$97,807$407,700$259 Very close on everything we compare
Loveland, OH 45140 93%357$114,827$360,300$207 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Reading, PA 19608 92%336$110,173$332,400$178 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Midlothian, VA 23112 92%123$116,465$398,400$225 larger
Bluffton, SC 29910 92%283$98,912$487,000$259 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Niceville, FL 32578 92%574$108,972$447,700$257 pricier homes ($34K more)
Twinsburg, OH 44087 92%385$99,270$320,400$199 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Hartland, WI 53029 92%692$108,152$478,700$250 pricier homes ($65K more) · older homes
Sussex, WI 53089 92%688$120,875$418,900$248 Very close on everything we compare
Waukesha, WI 53189 92%682$117,008$406,200$243 Very close on everything we compare
Boerne, TX 78006 92%1,211$116,156$543,900$229 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger
Gansevoort, NY 12831 91%568$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
Victor, NY 14564 91%486$115,625$353,900$218 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Williamsburg, VA 23188 91%155$103,160$449,900$224 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · older residents

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.