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 Murphy, NC 28906

Murphy: median income $55,759, home value $250,300, $223/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blairsville, GA 30512 92%18$66,642$313,300$205 pricier homes ($63K more)
Lake Placid, FL 33852 92%564$54,284$213,500$198 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Summerfield, FL 34491 91%439$66,679$274,200$178 larger
Crossville, TN 38572 91%79$56,609$223,900$230 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Floyd, VA 24091 90%241$51,319$248,200$224 smaller
Port Charlotte, FL 33948 90%574$62,744$298,700$190 pricier homes ($48K more)
Dunnellon, FL 34432 90%428$50,446$248,300$191 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Ocala, FL 34476 90%429$65,860$282,200$159 pricier homes ($32K more)
Hiawassee, GA 30546 89%23$59,234$295,000$248 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Sebastian, FL 32958 89%549$66,840$313,900$214 pricier homes ($64K more)
Lecanto, FL 34461 89%443$63,418$312,900$164 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Ocala, FL 34482 89%419$65,901$271,100$171 younger residents
Longs, SC 29568 88%310$62,653$254,900$181 Very close on everything we compare
Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520 88%459$62,176$225,600$230 younger residents
Fort Pierce, FL 34951 87%567$63,122$244,900$189 8 min longer commute
La Pine, OR 97739 87%2,067$58,579$370,500$286 pricier homes ($120K more) · smaller
Hartwell, GA 30643 86%83$61,596$235,100$187 younger residents
Edgewater, FL 32141 86%465$63,936$264,700$202 more walkable
Crossville, TN 38571 86%84$58,498$227,300$219 younger residents
Aitkin, MN 56431 85%930$67,828$295,400$213 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Eureka Springs, AR 72631 85%552$56,678$259,300$169 smaller
Grove, OK 74344 85%608$58,125$221,400$182 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Ellijay, GA 30540 84%40$72,578$294,600$231 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents
Crystal River, FL 34428 84%435$50,779$260,200$212 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Homosassa, FL 34446 84%450$58,802$256,500$163 more apartments and townhomes

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.