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 Gold Hill, NC 28071

Gold Hill: median income $93,354, home value $283,100, $239/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hopkins, MI 49328 95%569$94,340$232,500$217 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Port Deposit, MD 21904 94%365$88,136$333,500$236 pricier homes ($50K more)
Levant, ME 04456 93%878$86,071$268,500$207 Very close on everything we compare
Palmer, TX 75152 93%959$94,935$250,000$201 cheaper homes ($33K less) · 5 min longer commute
Nottingham, PA 19362 92%373$89,302$359,700$196 pricier homes ($77K more)
Pierson, FL 32180 92%442$77,394$310,300$219 pricier homes ($27K more)
Blaine, TN 37709 92%192$75,799$274,500$228 Very close on everything we compare
Kewaskum, WI 53040 92%691$96,096$326,100$210 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Lyman, WY 82937 92%1,661$98,000$254,500$187 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Stillwater, NY 12170 91%626$102,857$271,600$267 Very close on everything we compare
Newmanstown, PA 17073 91%400$91,452$272,200$214 Very close on everything we compare
Clarksville, OH 45113 91%332$104,750$280,200$221 Very close on everything we compare
Marshall, WI 53559 91%703$93,571$315,300$211 pricier homes ($32K more)
Beecher, IL 60401 91%561$97,569$260,500$164 larger
Chico, TX 76431 91%1,006$86,875$194,700$198 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Santa Fe, TX 77517 91%961$88,567$314,100$194 pricier homes ($31K more)
Burbank, WA 99323 91%2,120$93,092$412,900$197 pricier homes ($130K more)
Greene, ME 04236 90%804$98,093$270,000$257 Very close on everything we compare
Bethpage, TN 37022 90%341$79,375$287,900$269 Very close on everything we compare
Andersonville, TN 37705 90%213$79,262$286,400$242 Very close on everything we compare
Gowen, MI 49326 90%593$84,000$226,100$290 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Leeds, ME 04263 89%809$85,208$257,800$252 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Poland, ME 04274 89%788$85,557$283,600$275 older residents
Holtwood, PA 17532 89%371$84,562$348,600$312 pricier homes ($66K more)
Hartly, DE 19953 89%356$81,792$246,700$219 cheaper homes ($36K less)

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.