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 Mill Spring, NC 28756

Mill Spring: median income $63,663, home value $277,600, $330/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fellsmere, FL 32948 92%531$60,945$225,200$287 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Lincoln, DE 19960 91%445$67,200$275,700$258 Very close on everything we compare
Norwood, MO 65717 91%584$61,146$207,000$293 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller
De Leon Springs, FL 32130 89%432$60,563$290,400$243 older residents
Woodbury, TN 37190 89%221$64,792$274,200$212 larger
Blaine, TN 37709 89%103$75,799$274,500$228 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Ignatius, MT 59865 89%1,834$56,473$345,300$394 pricier homes ($68K more) · older homes
Smithville, TX 78957 89%945$69,149$259,900$233 larger
Philadelphia, TN 37846 88%130$71,786$201,700$278 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Arlee, MT 59821 88%1,832$66,458$375,200$312 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller
Collinsville, TX 76233 88%848$67,516$250,000$194 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Windsor, VA 23487 87%320$74,243$290,400$223 Very close on everything we compare
Molena, GA 30258 87%208$58,777$262,500$228 smaller
Rutledge, GA 30663 87%144$69,417$320,900$227 pricier homes ($43K more)
Summertown, TN 38483 87%291$61,293$219,800$228 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Rush City, MN 55069 87%911$75,179$281,700$240 Very close on everything we compare
Vernonia, OR 97064 87%2,244$67,317$383,600$298 pricier homes ($106K more) · 6 min longer commute
Culver, OR 97734 87%2,143$82,429$346,500$271 pricier homes ($69K more)
Big Lake, AK 99652 87%3,389$78,578$294,800$312 6 min longer commute
Cornersville, TN 37047 86%263$64,688$260,100$201 smaller
Cumberland Furnace, TN 37051 86%300$69,545$342,500$241 pricier homes ($65K more) · 6 min longer commute
Rushville, OH 43150 86%307$75,284$271,500$264 smaller · older homes
Ethel, LA 70730 86%605$64,977$254,600$212 more homeowners
Homedale, ID 83628 86%1,926$68,854$323,100$277 pricier homes ($46K more) · older homes
Whitewater, CA 92282 86%1,953$68,750$299,600$282 smaller

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.