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 Black Mountain, NC 28711

Black Mountain: median income $74,761, home value $370,200, $307/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Galveston, TX 77554 90%859$86,490$466,800$340 pricier homes ($97K more)
Chattanooga, TN 37419 87%178$74,787$351,800$245 smaller
Meredith, NH 03253 86%797$84,719$482,700$354 pricier homes ($113K more) · smaller
Seneca, SC 29672 86%68$90,650$482,100$271 pricier homes ($112K more) · more homeowners
Harbor Springs, MI 49740 85%700$89,250$363,500$312 smaller · more homeowners
Red Lodge, MT 59068 85%1,557$80,962$438,700$366 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 85%1,377$84,270$486,000$342 pricier homes ($116K more)
Taos, NM 87571 85%1,300$57,575$458,900$359 pricier homes ($89K more)
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 84%1,028$75,237$463,300$284 pricier homes ($93K more) · larger
Prescott, AZ 86303 84%1,697$72,359$563,000$321 pricier homes ($193K more) · larger · older residents
Lincolnville, ME 04849 83%921$80,377$360,600$329 smaller · more homeowners
New Buffalo, MI 49117 83%491$75,114$488,000$351 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller
Traverse City, MI 49684 83%653$80,788$420,200$332 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger · younger residents
Clarence, NY 14031 82%546$103,750$343,700$249 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($27K less)
Easton, MD 21601 82%406$83,680$376,400$232 larger · younger residents
Berlin, MD 21811 82%436$90,082$388,900$265 larger
Chelsea, MI 48118 82%474$88,278$357,200$219 younger residents
Charlevoix, MI 49720 82%685$77,603$297,500$435 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 81%808$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($178K more) · smaller
Camden, ME 04843 81%917$82,344$520,600$375 pricier homes ($150K more) · smaller · older homes
Niantic, CT 06357 81%673$93,026$397,300$301 pricier homes ($27K more) · older homes
Traverse City, MI 49686 81%657$71,609$344,700$289 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Petoskey, MI 49770 81%688$79,590$355,200$275 younger residents
Llano, TX 78643 81%1,001$68,365$362,600$239 smaller
El Prado, NM 87529 81%1,299$61,618$487,300$336 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller · older 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.