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 Brevard, NC 28712

Brevard: median income $63,045, home value $414,300, $299/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Taos, NM 87571 94%1,280$57,575$458,900$359 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 91%997$75,237$463,300$284 pricier homes ($49K more)
Polson, MT 59860 89%1,823$62,047$441,500$309 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · younger residents
Prescott, AZ 86303 88%1,675$72,359$563,000$321 pricier homes ($149K more) · older residents
Hamilton, MT 59840 87%1,798$61,752$428,100$343 younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Traverse City, MI 49684 86%673$80,788$420,200$332 younger residents
Traverse City, MI 49686 86%677$71,609$344,700$289 cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents
Prescott, AZ 86301 86%1,676$72,652$515,400$313 pricier homes ($101K more) · newer homes
Belfast, ME 04915 85%965$66,362$308,700$271 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller
Cape Charles, VA 23310 85%403$62,500$377,300$318 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
South Haven, MI 49090 85%531$68,920$295,000$293 cheaper homes ($119K less) · smaller
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 85%708$70,212$297,300$257 cheaper homes ($117K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Llano, TX 78643 85%970$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Sandpoint, ID 83864 85%1,941$70,496$516,500$381 pricier homes ($102K more) · younger residents
Port Angeles, WA 98362 84%2,249$70,123$403,300$298 younger residents · more walkable
Easton, MD 21601 83%442$83,680$376,400$232 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Chattanooga, TN 37419 83%149$74,787$351,800$245 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Petoskey, MI 49770 83%710$79,590$355,200$275 cheaper homes ($59K less) · younger residents
Minocqua, WI 54548 83%822$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Kerrville, TX 78028 83%1,018$66,991$323,200$210 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Mount Shasta, CA 96067 83%2,169$65,000$415,400$247 smaller · more walkable
Montrose, CO 81401 82%1,403$71,286$374,300$280 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
Grand Junction, CO 81506 82%1,441$78,651$448,300$263 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Cody, WY 82414 82%1,528$77,958$435,300$252 younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 81%873$59,887$361,700$370 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.