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 Ivanhoe, NC 28447

Ivanhoe: median income $77,134, home value $241,300, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boydton, VA 23917 93%141$73,965$201,600$187 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
De Soto, WI 54624 93%922$81,518$186,000$258 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Larue, TX 75770 93%1,014$83,542$239,200$179 larger
Ruffs Dale, PA 15679 92%390$77,099$200,000$140 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Brooks, KY 40109 92%482$75,495$262,400$148 larger
Alburgh, VT 05440 90%744$76,429$268,300$199 pricier homes ($27K more)
Taft, TN 38488 90%478$77,875$261,500$205 Very close on everything we compare
Burlington, MI 49029 90%638$75,188$207,200$203 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Erhard, MN 56534 90%1,239$70,694$238,300$145 Very close on everything we compare
Gordonville, TX 76245 90%1,063$92,212$219,600$205 Very close on everything we compare
Leslie, GA 31764 89%385$86,573$211,500— cheaper homes ($30K less)
Pound, WI 54161 89%894$68,415$190,500$184 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Eastman, WI 54626 89%906$69,926$253,000$136 Very close on everything we compare
Milan, NH 03588 88%783$71,538$253,500$155 younger residents
Sweet Valley, PA 18656 88%476$76,804$233,000$162 younger residents
Burlington, WV 26710 88%328$78,516$212,800$197 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents
Catawba, SC 29704 88%154$74,303$243,800$240 larger · younger residents
Dellroy, OH 44620 88%443$76,827$235,200$184 Very close on everything we compare
Mears, MI 49436 88%764$67,279$255,000$285 Very close on everything we compare
Germfask, MI 49836 88%897$85,500$210,100$254 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more single-family homes
Gleason, WI 54435 88%948$83,125$217,600$229 more single-family homes
Grafton, IL 62037 88%739$73,454$228,500$143 more renters
Dresden, ME 04342 87%794$74,844$240,100$259 Very close on everything we compare
Clinton, ME 04927 87%832$71,458$187,000$193 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · younger residents
Dixmont, ME 04932 87%848$75,952$190,700$277 cheaper homes ($51K 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.