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 Mills River, NC 28759

Mills River: median income $107,609, home value $444,300, $274/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bayfield, CO 81122 93%1,396$93,714$459,800$322 Very close on everything we compare
Mc Gaheysville, VA 22840 92%295$95,667$382,500$257 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Williamsburg, MI 49690 92%668$108,712$352,200$306 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Gilford, NH 03249 91%818$116,635$456,500$334 older homes
Ocean View, NJ 08230 91%506$115,152$410,200$245 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Belmont, MI 49306 91%555$115,039$373,500$214 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Lenoir City, TN 37772 90%97$100,711$429,800$234 larger · 6 min longer commute
Solon, IA 52333 90%655$118,721$366,900$177 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Salado, TX 76571 90%917$111,863$466,100$218 6 min longer commute
Southampton, MA 01073 89%709$123,125$452,300$303 older homes
Suffield, CT 06078 89%702$116,054$412,400$255 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older homes
Adel, IA 50003 89%754$103,114$395,400$256 cheaper homes ($49K less) · younger residents
Muskego, WI 53150 89%598$109,276$416,400$250 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Madison Lake, MN 56063 89%853$102,391$416,300$297 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · older homes
Amarillo, TX 79124 89%1,090$112,541$362,300$187 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger
Beaufort, SC 29907 88%232$97,446$428,000$259 larger · 6 min longer commute
Belleville, WI 53508 88%637$99,948$350,700$230 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Banks, OR 97106 88%2,218$104,250$546,400$321 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller · younger residents
Gansevoort, NY 12831 87%716$100,024$343,100$264 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger · younger residents
Prairie Du Sac, WI 53578 87%667$105,610$347,000$226 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Piedmont, SD 57769 87%1,257$94,375$367,400$243 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller
Harmony, PA 16037 86%400$93,077$348,200$205 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Gurley, AL 35748 86%221$103,563$356,300$198 cheaper homes ($88K less) · 6 min longer commute
Traverse City, MI 49696 86%670$94,803$306,100$306 cheaper homes ($138K less)
Sussex, WI 53089 86%615$120,875$418,900$248 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger

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.