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 Newland, NC 28657

Newland: median income $59,702, home value $240,300, $249/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Webster, WI 54893 95%867$56,129$234,200$220 smaller
Wautoma, WI 54982 95%675$64,201$203,100$209 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Fryeburg, ME 04037 94%798$54,414$278,200$260 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Gouldsboro, PA 18424 94%498$61,315$195,500$201 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Floyd, VA 24091 94%106$51,319$248,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Pine River, MN 56474 94%978$59,922$238,600$238 smaller · younger residents
East Jordan, MI 49727 93%650$70,865$222,200$205 Very close on everything we compare
Tomahawk, WI 54487 93%768$72,416$227,700$222 Very close on everything we compare
Deer River, MN 56636 93%993$61,289$210,000$264 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Chetek, WI 54728 92%816$74,712$224,400$237 Very close on everything we compare
Spooner, WI 54801 92%852$62,625$216,500$210 Very close on everything we compare
Cumberland, WI 54829 92%840$66,538$245,800$217 smaller
Clayton, GA 30525 91%116$65,150$274,200$258 pricier homes ($34K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Aitkin, MN 56431 91%941$67,828$295,400$213 pricier homes ($55K more) · older residents
Fall Branch, TN 37656 90%46$63,617$236,600$194 smaller
White Pine, TN 37890 90%76$59,355$234,200$197 Very close on everything we compare
Bloomfield, KY 40008 90%225$66,486$224,000$193 smaller
Motley, MN 56466 90%963$61,910$237,100$252 smaller
Park Rapids, MN 56470 90%1,010$67,500$291,100$192 pricier homes ($51K more)
Chester, VT 05143 89%703$70,610$255,200$230 smaller
Hartwell, GA 30643 89%130$61,596$235,100$187 larger
Winchester, TN 37398 89%243$63,730$247,800$200 larger · younger residents
Blountville, TN 37617 89%41$64,764$247,700$178 larger
Fremont, IN 46737 89%424$74,975$199,200$240 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Lake City, MI 49651 89%598$66,406$171,100$183 cheaper homes ($69K 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.