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 Lenoir, NC 28645

Lenoir: median income $51,650, home value $175,500, $176/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Elizabethton, TN 37643 96%47$51,831$166,600$183 Very close on everything we compare
Greeneville, TN 37743 95%76$54,566$214,800$181 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Rossville, GA 30741 93%222$58,834$172,700$171 smaller · younger residents
Mcminnville, TN 37110 93%238$52,932$198,000$191 younger residents
Hillsboro, OH 45133 93%252$61,842$172,900$162 smaller
Chester, SC 29706 92%85$51,230$158,800$163 smaller
Rogersville, TN 37857 92%89$54,536$171,800$163 smaller
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464 92%330$50,853$183,500$170 smaller
Chillicothe, OH 45601 92%249$59,748$173,100$161 Very close on everything we compare
Galax, VA 24333 91%62$47,730$155,400$147 smaller
La Fayette, GA 30728 91%226$55,455$152,200$148 smaller
Holiday, FL 34691 91%538$50,288$202,700$188 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Bristol, TN 37620 91%58$56,128$188,800$163 Very close on everything we compare
Laurens, SC 29360 90%101$53,941$177,800$153 smaller · younger residents
Georgetown, SC 29440 90%213$56,124$172,600$211 smaller
Belton, SC 29627 90%112$59,167$168,200$176 smaller
Toccoa, GA 30577 90%137$53,818$181,100$164 smaller · younger residents
Talladega, AL 35160 90%311$52,838$128,200$136 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Sparta, TN 38583 90%218$54,644$207,800$204 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Mount Sterling, KY 40353 90%198$57,329$184,000$162 smaller
Salem, OH 44460 90%346$57,423$163,500$145 smaller · older homes
Waverly, OH 45690 90%236$54,333$166,000$160 smaller
Walhalla, SC 29691 89%117$49,639$190,600$163 smaller
Erwin, TN 37650 89%51$50,654$168,100$155 smaller
Rockwood, TN 37854 89%176$55,856$177,500$196 smaller

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.