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.

Reset

Towns most like Warne, NC 28909

Warne: median income $80,875, home value $285,400, $153/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Worthing, SD 57077 93%896$88,125$234,500$175 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Sciota, PA 18354 91%621$85,588$252,600$157 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Eagle, MI 48822 90%543$91,299$300,900$176 larger
Ashby, MN 56309 90%986$84,750$289,900$140 Very close on everything we compare
Aurora, UT 84620 90%1,565$88,810$299,700$130 6 min shorter commute
Laotto, IN 46763 89%441$97,054$270,800$155 Very close on everything we compare
Casco, WI 54205 89%691$90,781$252,900$140 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Glenarm, IL 62536 89%450$95,809$260,000$112 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Mount Clare, WV 26408 88%352$72,819$227,400$175 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Walker, IA 52352 88%658$92,321$231,300$131 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Scandinavia, WI 54977 88%710$81,328$249,300$180 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · older residents
Bartonsville, PA 18321 87%625$100,481$242,100$153 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Crofton, NE 68730 87%906$76,944$208,600$151 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · older homes
Orangeville, UT 84537 87%1,518$90,086$246,200$136 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Sugar Valley, GA 30746 86%71$81,696$238,000$175 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 7 min longer commute
East Leroy, MI 49051 86%502$74,886$259,500$187 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Inwood, IA 51240 86%881$83,929$232,600$123 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · younger residents
Jim Falls, WI 54748 86%797$78,750$235,100$161 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents · older homes
Rollingstone, MN 55969 86%756$94,444$291,800$157 older residents
Courtland, MN 56021 86%847$96,563$276,800$140 Very close on everything we compare
Montrose, SD 57048 86%928$84,081$348,000$172 pricier homes ($63K more) · 7 min longer commute
Galva, KS 67443 86%790$88,938$220,600$137 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Pleasanton, NE 68866 86%924$94,792$262,300— older homes
Juniata, NE 68955 86%885$90,850$266,400$151 larger
Lawtons, NY 14091 85%586$82,833$236,200— cheaper homes ($49K less) · 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.