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 Oriental, NC 28571

Oriental: median income $63,393, home value $372,500, $257/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dauphin Island, AL 36528 91%741$67,206$432,200$312 pricier homes ($60K more)
Freedom, NH 03836 90%677$66,136$389,000$344 smaller
Townsend, TN 37882 90%400$69,012$344,500$315 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Sunrise Beach, MO 65079 90%917$70,024$394,800$302 larger
Pinetop, AZ 85935 90%1,882$73,333$437,200$326 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Cedar Key, FL 32625 89%548$60,298$322,700$279 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Mercer, WI 54547 88%1,038$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Hackensack, MN 56452 88%1,237$62,941$352,700$300 more single-family homes
Windham, NY 12496 87%520$59,286$314,200$288 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · younger residents
Mancos, CO 81328 87%1,761$72,522$412,700$293 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · younger residents
Cable, WI 54821 86%1,081$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · older homes
Blue Eye, MO 65611 86%937$59,866$298,100$189 cheaper homes ($74K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Cedaredge, CO 81413 86%1,736$58,465$355,800$245 larger · younger residents
Alto, NM 88312 85%1,653$80,345$304,100$297 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Westcliffe, CO 81252 84%1,602$69,527$401,900$258 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · younger residents
Garden Valley, ID 83622 84%2,153$65,625$576,800$332 pricier homes ($204K more) · younger residents
Swanton, MD 21561 83%337$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Indian River, MI 49749 83%829$65,608$244,300$234 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Three Lakes, WI 54562 83%988$57,422$326,300$370 cheaper homes ($46K less) · older homes
Battle Lake, MN 56515 83%1,259$73,750$398,500$251 pricier homes ($26K more) · older homes
Kents Hill, ME 04349 82%738$59,500$257,600$307 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · younger residents
White Stone, VA 22578 82%184$80,783$441,600$252 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents
Tower, MN 55790 82%1,192$77,232$328,900$339 cheaper homes ($44K less) · more single-family homes
Wickenburg, AZ 85390 82%2,050$68,591$499,200$269 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Hiawassee, GA 30546 81%398$59,234$295,000$248 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger

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.