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 Sparta, NC 28675

Sparta: median income $44,560, home value $215,300, $218/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Eureka Springs, AR 72632 94%700$46,354$247,300$223 pricier homes ($32K more)
Crosby, MN 56441 92%956$50,298$208,700$209 smaller
Eufaula, OK 74432 90%816$47,519$177,800$212 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Lake Luzerne, NY 12846 89%609$46,344$221,100$208 smaller
Apalachicola, FL 32320 89%519$46,713$241,500$279 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Del Norte, CO 81132 88%1,391$55,000$209,500$235 smaller
Colebrook, NH 03576 87%769$52,682$214,900$204 smaller
Floyd, VA 24091 87%52$51,319$248,200$224 pricier homes ($33K more) · 5 min longer commute
Crystal River, FL 34428 87%529$50,779$260,200$212 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Webster, WI 54893 87%868$56,129$234,200$220 smaller
Walsenburg, CO 81089 87%1,302$52,280$191,800$154 Very close on everything we compare
Fryeburg, ME 04037 86%746$54,414$278,200$260 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Independence, VA 24348 86%8$44,829$155,500$173 cheaper homes ($60K less) · younger residents
Prudenville, MI 48651 86%569$43,712$164,800$176 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller · younger residents
Forsyth, MO 65653 86%664$46,918$193,400$151 Very close on everything we compare
Lincoln, ME 04457 85%897$56,645$146,300$171 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Petersburg, WV 26847 85%204$52,139$180,400$162 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Centre, AL 35960 85%302$52,619$181,200$169 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Unicoi, TN 37692 85%69$53,531$232,600$200 6 min longer commute
Jamestown, TN 38556 85%211$45,443$160,700$200 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Spooner, WI 54801 85%853$62,625$216,500$210 Very close on everything we compare
Antonito, CO 81120 85%1,374$47,546$188,200$182 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Oroville, WA 98844 85%2,096$44,201$293,800$252 pricier homes ($79K more) · younger residents
Newport, ME 04953 84%846$60,365$234,800$182 smaller
Pocomoke City, MD 21851 84%325$53,162$206,700$176 younger residents

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.