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 Cullowhee, NC 28723

Cullowhee: median income $45,568, home value $347,900, $366/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Athens, GA 30601 79%88$39,219$215,400$365 cheaper homes ($133K less) · larger · older residents
Fayetteville, AR 72701 71%620$55,506$355,300$218 larger · more walkable
Athens, GA 30605 70%91$50,062$314,200$203 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · older residents
Auburn, AL 36832 69%228$42,717$263,900$210 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · more homeowners
Statesboro, GA 30458 68%209$52,038$231,300$177 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger
Rexburg, ID 83440 68%1,627$58,159$419,300$203 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863 67%45$53,191$284,100$340 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · older residents
Whitewater, WI 53190 67%604$66,069$265,100$222 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · older homes
Cookeville, TN 38501 66%150$52,145$284,600$199 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · older residents
Moscow, ID 83843 66%1,916$59,444$380,600$257 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · older residents
Storrs Mansfield, CT 06268 65%742$55,219$348,600$220 older homes
Orlando, FL 32826 65%474$64,755$254,300$228 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Chico, CA 95926 65%2,127$61,920$473,600$286 pricier homes ($126K more) · larger · older residents
Central, SC 29630 64%40$55,264$234,500$173 cheaper homes ($113K less) · older residents
Starkville, MS 39759 64%346$46,398$256,900$173 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · older residents
Stillwater, OK 74075 63%783$46,053$228,100$161 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger
Bowling Green, OH 43402 62%425$52,426$243,100$166 cheaper homes ($105K less) · larger · older residents
Waco, TX 76706 62%845$41,656$197,000$174 cheaper homes ($151K less) · larger
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 62%1,863$60,901$247,700$194 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger · older residents
Fayetteville, AR 72703 61%621$60,568$391,000$240 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · older residents
Laramie, WY 82072 61%1,279$53,863$324,100$200 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Arcata, CA 95521 61%2,240$53,114$501,000$340 pricier homes ($153K more) · larger · older residents
Clemson, SC 29631 60%43$48,800$400,400$214 pricier homes ($53K more) · more walkable
Columbia, MO 65201 60%565$48,113$248,400$184 cheaper homes ($100K less) · larger
Provo, UT 84601 60%1,589$67,207$403,500$249 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · more walkable

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.