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 Jamestown, NC 27282

Jamestown: median income $91,512, home value $312,900, $169/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lake Orion, MI 48359 97%498$93,125$350,100$186 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Bowling Green, KY 42103 96%365$87,689$331,400$182 Very close on everything we compare
Woodway, TX 76712 96%1,040$97,903$340,600$179 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Knoxville, TN 37931 93%234$92,150$359,600$208 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger
Sartell, MN 56377 93%998$87,172$302,400$167 Very close on everything we compare
Kansas City, MO 64155 93%831$97,471$300,900$189 larger
Bridgeport, WV 26330 92%228$88,962$271,800$160 cheaper homes ($41K less) · older homes
Lexington, KY 40514 92%291$95,914$315,500$197 Very close on everything we compare
Perrysburg, OH 43551 92%431$95,846$311,100$198 larger
Indianapolis, IN 46256 92%427$93,847$318,200$163 Very close on everything we compare
Dubuque, IA 52002 92%732$91,036$298,900$173 Very close on everything we compare
Rochester, MN 55906 92%864$93,685$377,800$173 pricier homes ($65K more) · older homes
Glen Carbon, IL 62034 92%583$101,260$281,400$150 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 6 min longer commute
Morgantown, WV 26508 91%248$90,041$311,500$174 larger
Portage, MI 49024 91%526$91,105$267,400$165 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · older homes
Plover, WI 54467 91%772$87,580$268,600$168 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Appleton, WI 54913 91%730$105,385$393,400$212 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger
Baton Rouge, LA 70810 91%753$92,098$365,000$186 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Hewitt, TX 76643 91%1,039$83,511$273,300$176 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Fairbanks, AK 99709 91%3,358$86,294$304,800$213 larger
Oakdale, PA 15071 90%305$102,328$275,000$192 cheaper homes ($38K less) · 6 min longer commute
Greer, SC 29650 90%152$94,522$342,500$192 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Lexington, KY 40515 90%285$86,268$340,500$191 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Twinsburg, OH 44087 90%377$99,270$320,400$199 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Wayne, IN 46804 90%452$85,833$258,700$150 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger

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.