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 Oak City, NC 27857

Oak City: median income $61,389, home value $84,700, $149/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Noxapater, MS 39346 84%704$62,439$99,600— larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Dugger, IN 47848 83%586$60,581$97,500$116 younger residents
Cooperstown, PA 16317 82%407$57,768$115,000$138 pricier homes ($30K more) · more homeowners
Adairville, KY 42202 81%534$62,656$139,400$142 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · younger residents
Fairchance, PA 15436 80%299$62,917$156,200$176 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger
Pitts, GA 31072 80%453$62,794$99,500$109 younger residents
Wappapello, MO 63966 80%723$59,871$109,700$131 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · more homeowners
Montrose, MO 64770 80%932$61,908$137,900$112 pricier homes ($53K more) · younger residents · more homeowners
Ellenburg Depot, NY 12935 79%646$57,542$119,000$132 pricier homes ($34K more) · more homeowners
Alum Creek, WV 25003 79%296$64,631$114,900— pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · younger residents
Arma, KS 66712 79%968$53,281$82,700$131 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Calvert, TX 77837 79%1,166$57,917$119,600— pricier homes ($35K more) · more homeowners
Benavides, TX 78341 79%1,364$45,259$76,100— younger residents
Courtland, AL 35618 78%571$50,750$104,000$110 larger · younger residents
Big Sandy, TN 38221 78%601$52,714$139,100$174 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Laddonia, MO 63352 78%816$54,485$98,000$115 more homeowners · older homes
Mansfield, TN 38236 77%613$63,598$153,100$155 pricier homes ($68K more) · younger residents
Newton, GA 39870 77%516$50,938$109,600— larger · younger residents
Sandy Creek, NY 13145 76%535$60,625$142,200$142 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · younger residents
Normalville, PA 15469 76%305$56,301$140,100— pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · more homeowners
Scottsburg, VA 24589 76%100$77,593$110,600$124 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · more homeowners
Mitchell, GA 30820 76%360$51,146$82,800— younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Coffeeville, AL 36524 76%681$45,962$85,600— younger residents · more homeowners
Machias, NY 14101 75%450$73,116$98,600$117 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Penfield, PA 15849 75%369$60,096$108,200$182 younger residents · more homeowners

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.