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 Etowah, NC 28729

Etowah: median income $84,413, home value $321,000, $244/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Leesburg, IN 46538 97%450$89,803$270,600$234 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Galway, NY 12074 96%702$94,583$304,800$234 Very close on everything we compare
Cedar Grove, WI 53013 96%635$84,375$277,900$236 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Freehold, NY 12431 95%670$80,694$262,500$265 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller
Smithfield, KY 40068 95%259$80,750$325,300$232 Very close on everything we compare
Interlochen, MI 49643 95%667$81,222$271,300$271 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Black Earth, WI 53515 95%661$92,625$361,300$218 pricier homes ($40K more)
Carlton, MN 55718 95%935$96,546$319,100$198 Very close on everything we compare
Cohasset, MN 55721 95%1,003$86,429$302,300$221 Very close on everything we compare
Pillager, MN 56473 95%982$85,950$295,300$203 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Oley, PA 19547 94%511$89,948$357,900$213 pricier homes ($37K more)
Hanover, VA 23069 94%338$83,453$356,400$274 pricier homes ($35K more)
Stoutsville, OH 43154 94%297$91,250$250,700$228 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Fremont, WI 54940 94%699$90,813$307,100$208 Very close on everything we compare
Annandale, MN 55302 94%914$83,235$347,000$230 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 94%988$81,328$342,500$254 larger
Audubon, MN 56511 94%1,057$89,875$401,900$261 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller
Hollis Center, ME 04042 93%857$95,950$338,900$270 Very close on everything we compare
Searsmont, ME 04973 93%944$87,000$284,000$292 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Winfield, PA 17889 93%495$89,063$288,900$188 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Carroll, OH 43112 93%309$91,613$338,300$195 Very close on everything we compare
Mazomanie, WI 53560 93%665$98,409$358,000$228 pricier homes ($37K more)
Brussels, WI 54204 93%703$79,803$379,800$299 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller
New London, MN 56273 93%946$90,122$320,100$170 Very close on everything we compare
Deerwood, MN 56444 93%967$77,500$365,200$238 pricier homes ($44K more) · 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.