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 Flat Rock, NC 28731

Flat Rock: median income $66,309, home value $402,300, $253/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cornville, AZ 86325 95%1,665$74,679$442,800$272 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 94%415$64,681$378,500$285 Very close on everything we compare
Llano, TX 78643 91%990$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Paradise, CA 95969 90%2,154$69,067$455,500$287 pricier homes ($53K more)
Young Harris, GA 30582 89%87$59,360$329,900$212 cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bokeelia, FL 33922 89%596$71,164$355,800$269 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Flagler Beach, FL 32136 87%408$78,818$471,000$280 pricier homes ($69K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 87%1,376$84,270$486,000$342 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger
El Prado, NM 87529 87%1,297$61,618$487,300$336 pricier homes ($85K more) · smaller · older residents
Bethel, ME 04217 86%879$61,125$329,700$274 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Seneca, SC 29672 86%47$90,650$482,100$271 pricier homes ($80K more)
Vero Beach, FL 32967 86%537$78,058$423,500$243 larger
Minocqua, WI 54548 86%826$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller
Mancos, CO 81328 86%1,445$72,522$412,700$293 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Montrose, CO 81403 86%1,424$80,893$515,300$311 pricier homes ($113K more)
Wiscasset, ME 04578 85%904$81,063$327,400$234 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Renfrew, PA 16053 85%403$76,054$297,500$218 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller
Chattanooga, TN 37419 85%169$74,787$351,800$245 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Boyne City, MI 49712 85%699$74,033$294,800$318 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Eagle River, WI 54521 85%817$74,071$305,100$257 cheaper homes ($97K less) · older homes
Walker, MN 56484 85%1,030$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 85%1,017$75,237$463,300$284 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger
Berlin, MD 21811 84%451$90,082$388,900$265 larger
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 84%430$63,464$346,700$288 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Hiawassee, GA 30546 84%80$59,234$295,000$248 cheaper homes ($107K less) · 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.