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 Gatesville, NC 27938

Gatesville: median income $65,217, home value $151,200, 46-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Holt, FL 32564 90%695$59,875$162,800$252 Very close on everything we compare
Spurger, TX 77660 88%1,078$61,500$181,900— pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Saint Landry, LA 71367 87%971$62,159$119,700— cheaper homes ($32K less) · more single-family homes
Hull, TX 77564 87%1,119$56,275$154,100$80 younger residents
Burkeville, TX 75932 86%1,040$61,161$107,400$275 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Astor, FL 32102 84%573$57,588$161,100$206 more homeowners
Kopperl, TX 76652 84%1,222$73,545$207,700$115 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Clyo, GA 31303 83%375$75,968$180,900$134 pricier homes ($30K more)
Shelbyville, TX 75973 82%1,037$67,023$130,800— younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Weirsdale, FL 32195 81%594$57,000$215,100$226 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger · more homeowners
Silas, AL 36919 81%735$59,091$100,300— cheaper homes ($51K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Coila, MS 38923 80%779$62,391$101,800— cheaper homes ($49K less) · more homeowners
Ararat, VA 24053 79%210$63,646$171,900— more single-family homes
Del Rio, TN 37727 79%352$47,652$132,600$239 younger residents
Roxie, MS 39661 79%887$63,125$86,600— cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents
Tyner, KY 40486 79%399$64,917$157,500$111 younger residents · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Grand Marsh, WI 53936 79%857$55,515$137,500$154 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Lonedell, MO 63060 79%788$54,926$179,500$192 pricier homes ($28K more) · more homeowners
Grovespring, MO 65662 79%878$51,339$216,100$212 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller
Hineston, LA 71438 79%986$63,750$134,100— smaller · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Bee Branch, AR 72013 79%877$57,500$132,200$179 more renters · more single-family homes
Newberry Springs, CA 92365 79%2,233$67,600$183,300$193 pricier homes ($32K more) · 11 min shorter commute
Montvale, VA 24122 78%179$66,563$198,600$137 pricier homes ($47K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Ekron, KY 40117 78%529$58,696$196,700$167 pricier homes ($46K more) · younger residents
Chesterhill, OH 43728 78%352$66,000$143,500— younger residents · more single-family homes · older 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.