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 Hodges, SC 29653

Hodges: median income $64,722, home value $136,000, $184/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Elm City, NC 27822 95%268$63,703$165,600$187 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Woodlawn, VA 24381 92%188$65,109$160,500$197 younger residents
Norridgewock, ME 04957 91%974$65,931$179,100$157 pricier homes ($43K more)
Mexico, NY 13114 91%710$65,561$161,000$174 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Friedens, PA 15541 91%435$62,992$178,500$233 pricier homes ($43K more)
New Lisbon, WI 53950 91%787$72,768$196,700$190 pricier homes ($61K more)
Elbridge, NY 13060 90%679$64,448$123,100— smaller
Grantville, PA 17028 90%518$59,554$163,100$210 pricier homes ($27K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Grantsville, MD 21536 90%408$64,205$201,300$165 pricier homes ($65K more)
Mineral Wells, WV 26150 90%341$61,786$172,500$146 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents
West Paducah, KY 42086 90%415$77,591$179,200$152 pricier homes ($43K more)
Nortonville, KY 42442 90%356$58,190$124,500$162 Very close on everything we compare
Lakeview, OH 43331 90%439$60,980$145,300$247 Very close on everything we compare
Ringgold, VA 24586 89%229$53,962$156,800$162 Very close on everything we compare
Ellenboro, NC 28040 89%77$58,816$169,500$183 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Claremont, NC 28610 89%116$65,722$180,900$181 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Crofton, KY 42217 89%352$65,357$162,000$184 pricier homes ($26K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Farwell, MI 48622 89%675$56,804$136,700$135 Very close on everything we compare
Saint John, ND 58369 89%1,352$68,235$135,000— smaller
Benton, MO 63736 89%455$59,414$168,700$154 pricier homes ($33K more) · younger residents
Green Forest, AR 72638 89%646$65,175$175,900$172 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · younger residents
Grapeland, TX 75844 89%791$60,376$160,100$166 7 min longer commute
Copenhagen, NY 13626 88%749$64,495$179,300$158 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Davisville, WV 26142 88%343$62,941$113,200$130 smaller
Millers Creek, NC 28651 88%144$61,623$175,300$199 pricier homes ($39K more) · 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.