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 Boone, NC 28607

Boone: median income $46,639, home value $378,600, $314/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fayetteville, AR 72701 85%696$55,506$355,300$218 Very close on everything we compare
Clemson, SC 29631 84%124$48,800$400,400$214 smaller
Moscow, ID 83843 82%1,948$59,444$380,600$257 older residents
Athens, GA 30605 81%184$50,062$314,200$203 cheaper homes ($64K less) · more renters
Oxford, OH 45056 81%283$49,233$250,700$188 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Storrs Mansfield, CT 06268 80%635$55,219$348,600$220 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Chico, CA 95926 80%2,183$61,920$473,600$286 pricier homes ($95K more)
Laramie, WY 82072 79%1,327$53,863$324,100$200 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Stillwater, OK 74074 78%858$52,998$258,700$164 cheaper homes ($120K less)
Arcata, CA 95521 78%2,292$53,114$501,000$340 pricier homes ($122K more) · smaller · older residents
Auburn, AL 36832 77%333$42,717$263,900$210 cheaper homes ($115K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Bloomington, IN 47408 77%335$45,644$346,900$188 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · more renters
Pullman, WA 99163 77%1,956$48,231$435,900$228 pricier homes ($57K more) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Iowa City, IA 52240 76%647$52,960$242,300$181 cheaper homes ($136K less) · older residents
Starkville, MS 39759 75%448$46,398$256,900$173 cheaper homes ($122K less) · older residents
West Lafayette, IN 47906 75%408$53,103$323,200$186 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Blacksburg, VA 24060 74%99$67,675$447,600$237 pricier homes ($69K more)
Fayetteville, AR 72703 74%697$60,568$391,000$240 older residents · more renters
Stillwater, OK 74075 74%858$46,053$228,100$161 cheaper homes ($151K less)
Logan, UT 84321 73%1,655$69,148$400,500$215 Very close on everything we compare
Columbia, MO 65201 72%612$48,113$248,400$184 cheaper homes ($130K less) · more renters · more apartments and townhomes
Athens, GA 30606 71%185$63,328$362,500$201 older residents
Bowling Green, OH 43402 71%373$52,426$243,100$166 cheaper homes ($136K less)
Ames, IA 50014 71%759$60,731$336,800$211 cheaper homes ($42K less) · more renters
Corvallis, OR 97333 71%2,239$65,191$511,100$351 pricier homes ($133K more) · older residents · more walkable

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.