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 Fletcher, NC 28732

Fletcher: median income $81,852, home value $376,700, $233/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Forest, VA 24551 95%221$91,067$362,500$187 Very close on everything we compare
Helena, MT 59602 95%1,706$92,985$408,600$270 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Traverse City, MI 49685 94%667$84,590$358,500$261 Very close on everything we compare
Johnson City, TN 37615 93%66$77,525$294,900$200 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Gansevoort, NY 12831 92%711$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Alachua, FL 32615 92%389$85,701$297,200$172 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Piney Flats, TN 37686 92%69$84,264$352,200$211 smaller
Fruita, CO 81521 92%1,459$88,458$422,900$294 pricier homes ($46K more)
Melbourne, FL 32904 91%521$90,673$366,300$208 larger
Norwalk, IA 50211 91%733$103,712$316,100$231 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Pleasant Hill, IA 50327 91%730$98,333$314,400$215 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Camden Wyoming, DE 19934 90%455$87,125$336,300$180 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Newberry, FL 32669 90%400$99,548$343,300$198 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Twinsburg, OH 44087 90%410$99,270$320,400$199 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Tucson, AZ 85742 90%1,645$98,844$368,300$228 larger
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 89%495$90,013$370,500$283 older homes
Beaufort, SC 29907 89%233$97,446$428,000$259 pricier homes ($51K more)
Madison, GA 30650 89%139$71,599$336,400$197 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Powell, TN 37849 89%96$84,275$290,900$211 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger
Knoxville, TN 37931 89%98$92,150$359,600$208 larger · more renters
Sellersburg, IN 47172 89%273$82,503$273,500$162 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Caledonia, MI 49316 89%534$103,238$364,200$218 Very close on everything we compare
Spring Lake, MI 49456 89%563$92,672$340,200$248 cheaper homes ($37K less) · older homes
East Helena, MT 59635 89%1,702$83,740$395,600$277 smaller · older homes
Tucson, AZ 85743 89%1,653$90,093$356,300$221 larger · older residents · 6 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.