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 Spindale, NC 28160

Spindale: median income $40,868, home value $164,000, $146/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Island Pond, VT 05846 80%840$46,278$159,600$168 smaller
Chase City, VA 23924 79%218$44,291$146,900$122 larger · more homeowners · newer homes
Biloxi, MS 39530 79%530$41,117$161,400$172 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Sheffield, AL 35660 78%329$40,065$135,400$113 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Gary, IN 46403 78%519$45,991$177,600$127 larger · younger residents
La Crosse, VA 23950 77%233$41,010$166,300$188 younger residents · newer homes
Cadiz, OH 43907 77%342$46,941$119,800$127 cheaper homes ($44K less) · more homeowners
Las Animas, CO 81054 77%1,184$48,398$134,100$109 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Brownsville, TN 38012 76%413$45,974$161,500$127 larger · newer homes
Jeffersonville, OH 43128 76%310$50,915$173,100$146 smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Tecumseh, NE 68450 76%851$46,132$158,600$80 younger residents
Rocky Ford, CO 81067 76%1,219$50,028$154,800$139 larger · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Exmore, VA 23350 75%369$48,712$170,500$154 newer homes
Gibson City, IL 60936 75%497$51,323$157,200$146 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Luzerne, PA 18709 74%524$42,135$113,600$96 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Lawrenceville, VA 23868 74%249$45,458$133,200$103 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Altavista, VA 24517 74%191$53,201$145,200$151 more homeowners
Manchester, GA 31816 74%231$50,663$144,700$102 younger residents · newer homes
Halls, TN 38040 74%422$49,833$148,800$136 more homeowners · less walkable · newer homes
Sebring, OH 44672 74%387$50,779$99,600$129 cheaper homes ($64K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Butler, MO 64730 74%714$49,883$165,400$144 larger · younger residents · more homeowners
Greenfield, MO 65661 74%677$46,170$151,200$113 smaller · more homeowners
Maricopa, CA 93252 74%2,103$43,947$161,700$139 smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Rouses Point, NY 12979 73%803$45,850$190,900$130 pricier homes ($27K more) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Scottdale, PA 15683 73%352$51,913$150,400$189 larger · 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.