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 Deep Gap, NC 28618

Deep Gap: median income $59,653, home value $338,400, $281/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ranchester, WY 82839 94%1,467$57,708$385,900$324 pricier homes ($48K more)
Accident, MD 21520 92%265$59,852$298,600$236 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Arlee, MT 59821 89%1,826$66,458$375,200$312 pricier homes ($37K more) · 5 min longer commute
Monteagle, TN 37356 88%251$59,026$298,300$264 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Wolcott, VT 05680 86%746$72,917$227,700$267 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Trappe, MD 21673 86%344$68,194$363,100$205 older residents
Parsonsburg, MD 21849 86%365$71,211$249,200$213 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger
Flora, MS 39071 86%562$54,700$311,500$215 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Meeker, CO 81641 86%1,452$63,070$329,700$174 larger
Ranchos De Taos, NM 87557 86%1,339$49,337$356,400$350 larger
Richmond, ME 04357 84%822$65,854$242,700$239 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Rabun Gap, GA 30568 84%136$75,948$273,400$218 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 5 min longer commute
Lynchburg, TN 37352 84%280$68,438$341,000$183 Very close on everything we compare
Absarokee, MT 59001 84%1,585$82,692$359,000$271 smaller
Choudrant, LA 71227 84%676$64,195$255,800$187 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger
Parowan, UT 84761 84%1,723$51,538$355,000$208 Very close on everything we compare
Falls City, OR 97344 84%2,254$59,000$320,700— 6 min longer commute · older homes
Seal Rock, OR 97376 84%2,279$70,446$428,000$368 pricier homes ($90K more) · smaller
Brooks, ME 04921 83%868$63,646$210,300$200 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 83%115$57,330$334,100$361 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Culver, IN 46511 83%435$58,293$233,700$220 cheaper homes ($105K less) · larger · older residents
Saint Ignatius, MT 59865 83%1,828$56,473$345,300$394 larger · 7 min longer commute
Malaga, WA 98828 83%2,111$70,197$437,600$294 pricier homes ($99K more) · more homeowners
Keezletown, VA 22832 82%217$64,766$332,200$256 smaller · older homes
Epworth, GA 30541 82%192$66,579$214,400$343 cheaper homes ($124K 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.