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 Cherokee, NC 28719

Cherokee: median income $60,658, home value $188,400, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Warroad, MN 56763 94%1,109$65,000$192,000$177 older residents
Green Forest, AR 72638 90%567$65,175$175,900$172 5 min longer commute
George West, TX 78022 90%999$55,895$171,100$127 5 min longer commute
Bidwell, OH 45614 88%243$60,000$162,300$161 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
American Falls, ID 83211 88%1,654$65,483$209,200$168 older homes
Hoopa, CA 95546 88%2,202$61,607$253,400$118 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller
Dover Foxcroft, ME 04426 87%997$63,491$164,800$162 older homes
Douglas, GA 31535 87%281$65,629$144,700$153 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Russell Springs, KY 42642 87%144$52,633$152,600$133 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Denison, IA 51442 87%789$66,767$159,400$95 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older homes
Lake Village, AR 71653 87%478$51,797$153,400$108 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 5 min longer commute
Dardanelle, AR 72834 87%557$63,131$162,300$133 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 7 min longer commute
Madill, OK 73446 87%769$58,462$152,200$139 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 7 min longer commute
Holbrook, AZ 86025 87%1,510$56,919$163,800$147 older homes
Mineral Wells, WV 26150 86%273$61,786$172,500$146 older residents · 7 min longer commute
Russellville, AL 35654 86%256$60,674$172,800$126 9 min longer commute
Bells, TN 38006 86%324$70,047$172,700$144 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Myrtle, MS 38650 86%335$65,000$184,900$126 8 min longer commute
Arcadia, WI 54612 86%742$77,647$196,400$156 Very close on everything we compare
Ronan, MT 59864 86%1,781$61,978$297,700$274 pricier homes ($109K more)
Kansas City, KS 66111 86%676$65,972$162,600$194 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
Gassville, AR 72635 86%515$49,709$172,100$148 smaller · older residents
Lapwai, ID 83540 86%1,884$62,963$205,100$256 smaller
Richland, MS 39218 85%453$65,327$128,900$158 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 5 min longer commute
Benton, MO 63736 85%364$59,414$168,700$154 smaller · 8 min longer commute

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.