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.

Reset

Towns most like Vilas, NC 28692

Vilas: median income $43,103, home value $324,900, $257/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Flora, MS 39071 87%550$54,700$311,500$215 Very close on everything we compare
Ranchos De Taos, NM 87557 85%1,324$49,337$356,400$350 pricier homes ($32K more)
Parowan, UT 84761 82%1,709$51,538$355,000$208 pricier homes ($30K more)
Young Harris, GA 30582 81%148$59,360$329,900$212 older residents
Eureka Springs, AR 72632 81%666$46,354$247,300$223 cheaper homes ($78K less) · older residents
Cripple Creek, CO 80813 81%1,290$48,530$297,600$237 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · more renters
Lewisburg, WV 24901 80%130$53,403$266,300$193 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · more renters
Monteagle, TN 37356 79%238$59,026$298,300$264 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Honey Grove, TX 75446 79%821$52,460$238,800$240 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Garberville, CA 95542 78%2,277$46,104$395,500$212 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Accident, MD 21520 77%269$59,852$298,600$236 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Bethel, ME 04217 76%806$61,125$329,700$274 older residents
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 76%103$57,330$334,100$361 5 min shorter commute
Culver, IN 46511 76%425$58,293$233,700$220 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older homes
Ranchester, WY 82839 76%1,453$57,708$385,900$324 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Charlo, MT 59824 75%1,821$53,382$317,800$247 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Mountain Rest, SC 29664 74%123$51,705$241,800$316 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller · older residents
Apalachicola, FL 32320 74%489$46,713$241,500$279 cheaper homes ($83K less) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Damariscotta, ME 04543 73%840$59,423$363,500$431 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · older residents
Floyd, VA 24091 73%91$51,319$248,200$224 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · older residents
Archer, FL 32618 73%465$54,585$205,600$224 cheaper homes ($119K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Delta, CO 81416 73%1,447$50,243$319,400$262 larger
Ruidoso, NM 88345 73%1,366$53,971$263,700$228 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger · 10 min shorter commute
Gerber, CA 96035 73%2,192$49,760$237,900$258 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Scottsboro, AL 35769 72%267$55,687$210,700$165 cheaper homes ($114K less) · larger

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.