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 Hays, NC 28635

Hays: median income $44,901, home value $145,900, $195/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Friendship, WI 53934 93%701$48,782$166,100$176 larger
Alford, FL 32420 92%462$48,446$119,600$145 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Pembine, WI 54156 92%735$49,625$129,300$172 smaller
Shorter, AL 36075 91%385$53,505$115,700— cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Falmouth, MI 49632 91%586$46,696$151,000$171 smaller
Everton, AR 72633 91%657$45,385$154,000$138 smaller
Kosse, TX 76653 91%953$48,500$150,200$190 smaller
Karnack, TX 75661 90%787$41,929$158,500$258 Very close on everything we compare
Mikado, MI 48745 89%584$49,844$157,800$187 smaller
Hillman, MI 49746 89%623$47,432$164,400$125 Very close on everything we compare
Lewiston, MI 49756 89%613$53,333$162,900$178 larger
Guilford, ME 04443 88%865$53,990$166,700$202 Very close on everything we compare
Volga, WV 26238 88%199$47,951$133,000$172 smaller · older homes
Bitely, MI 49309 88%571$42,566$151,600$214 6 min longer commute · older homes
Surgoinsville, TN 37873 87%96$44,390$178,900$168 pricier homes ($33K more) · younger residents
Big Clifty, KY 42712 87%290$45,870$147,400$175 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Stout, OH 45684 87%199$50,688$133,200$138 smaller
Green Castle, MO 63544 87%693$44,167$109,400— cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Phillips, ME 04966 86%815$47,969$176,500$208 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · younger residents
Hiltons, VA 24258 86%77$44,659$122,000$134 smaller
Monroe, TN 38573 86%228$49,583$182,100$222 pricier homes ($36K more) · younger residents
Ashland, MS 38603 86%462$43,676$143,400$138 younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Viper, KY 41774 86%126$47,083$100,300— cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Rose City, MI 48654 86%582$45,202$140,800$145 older homes
Saint Helen, MI 48656 86%583$47,750$112,900$160 cheaper homes ($33K 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.