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 Norwood, NC 28128

Norwood: median income $53,818, home value $222,300, $226/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pocomoke City, MD 21851 95%321$53,162$206,700$176 Very close on everything we compare
Etowah, TN 37331 94%247$55,662$193,700$169 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Snow Hill, MD 21863 92%333$61,975$263,600$180 pricier homes ($41K more)
Mount Jackson, VA 22842 92%259$60,134$222,500$247 Very close on everything we compare
Coloma, MI 49038 92%586$62,636$206,800$199 Very close on everything we compare
Appomattox, VA 24522 91%164$60,503$199,200$174 larger
Oconto Falls, WI 54154 91%789$59,767$200,900$172 Very close on everything we compare
South Pittsburg, TN 37380 90%316$59,304$194,500$218 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Mineral City, OH 44656 90%375$58,852$208,700$199 smaller
Culver, IN 46511 90%536$58,293$233,700$220 smaller
Browerville, MN 56438 90%1,072$62,500$203,000$192 smaller
Richford, VT 05476 89%779$57,361$196,700$183 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Decherd, TN 37324 89%334$50,417$223,200$196 newer homes
Ackerman, MS 39735 89%533$51,820$147,600— cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Melbourne, KY 41059 89%349$58,553$217,400$209 smaller · more homeowners
Jefferson, OH 44047 89%451$60,625$198,400$160 Very close on everything we compare
Rittman, OH 44270 89%407$63,650$170,200$170 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Waverly, OH 45690 89%312$54,333$166,000$160 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Gallatin, MO 64640 89%823$61,302$194,300$186 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Montague, CA 96064 89%2,309$61,157$262,400$186 pricier homes ($40K more)
Honesdale, PA 18431 88%512$56,779$230,200$207 larger
Waymart, PA 18472 88%508$61,094$247,800$164 pricier homes ($26K more)
Federalsburg, MD 21632 88%341$61,316$216,000$184 Very close on everything we compare
Blackstone, VA 23824 88%176$55,599$223,200$141 Very close on everything we compare
Harrogate, TN 37752 88%215$60,028$193,600$198 cheaper homes ($29K less) · newer 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.