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 Rocky Mount, NC 27804

Rocky Mount: median income $61,359, home value $209,300, $133/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gulfport, MS 39507 94%753$54,657$217,800$145 smaller
Columbia, SC 29223 93%218$62,408$202,900$141 larger
Terre Haute, IN 47802 93%573$57,395$170,200$136 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Joplin, MO 64801 92%927$52,620$180,600$137 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Fort Smith, AR 72903 92%928$61,434$235,900$125 pricier homes ($27K more)
Corpus Christi, TX 78413 92%1,280$72,815$244,200$153 pricier homes ($35K more)
Spartanburg, SC 29301 91%243$57,805$212,000$142 less walkable
Pensacola, FL 32514 91%660$66,644$259,600$167 pricier homes ($50K more) · younger residents
Ocala, FL 34470 91%530$52,083$189,600$161 Very close on everything we compare
Indianapolis, IN 46229 91%515$61,388$191,100$137 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Wayne, IN 46825 91%530$70,544$220,600$157 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Cloud, MN 56303 91%1,078$65,198$205,200$145 Very close on everything we compare
Oklahoma City, OK 73132 91%1,108$60,419$213,500$131 younger residents
Pensacola, FL 32534 90%662$58,992$219,400$164 smaller
Dothan, AL 36303 90%543$54,147$182,600$127 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Toledo, OH 43615 90%501$57,713$153,400$138 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Mishawaka, IN 46545 90%596$56,865$177,900$159 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Independence, MO 64057 90%928$71,402$256,300$155 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Saint Joseph, MO 64506 90%960$65,573$240,300$150 pricier homes ($31K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Bellevue, NE 68005 90%1,036$66,551$205,900$153 younger residents · older homes
Alexandria, LA 71303 90%902$67,156$244,200$143 pricier homes ($35K more)
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 90%1,879$61,580$228,000$175 Very close on everything we compare
Las Cruces, NM 88005 90%1,669$54,452$220,800$168 Very close on everything we compare
Columbus, GA 31904 89%473$66,291$226,000$147 Very close on everything we compare
Palm Bay, FL 32905 89%573$56,411$230,000$178 Very close on everything we compare

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.