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 Fort Lawn, SC 29714

Fort Lawn: median income $70,475, home value $189,800, $210/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Berry, AL 35546 96%390$69,531$167,600$197 Very close on everything we compare
Lyles, TN 37098 90%370$63,371$241,600$206 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Murchison, TX 75778 90%871$57,589$154,900$204 cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
Buchanan, GA 30113 88%250$72,417$197,700$184 larger · older residents
Sarah, MS 38665 88%526$80,223$170,100$168 5 min longer commute
Corapeake, NC 27926 87%273$57,333$231,300$217 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Gates, NC 27937 87%264$70,086$160,000$195 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents
Milner, GA 30257 87%216$67,941$245,100$171 pricier homes ($55K more)
Cleveland, AL 35049 87%326$65,644$190,600$163 older residents
Deer Lodge, TN 37726 87%244$66,875$178,000$197 younger residents
Middlesex, NC 27557 86%169$71,541$199,900$188 larger · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Fruithurst, AL 36262 86%267$68,611$155,600— cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · older residents
Beckville, TX 75631 86%798$83,750$146,800$203 cheaper homes ($43K less) · older residents
Lytle, TX 78052 86%1,112$71,429$200,400$182 larger · older residents
Hartly, DE 19953 85%421$81,792$246,700$219 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Jemison, AL 35085 85%354$70,862$143,500$140 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Beechgrove, TN 37018 85%306$63,091$196,700$187 older residents
Big Rock, TN 37023 85%405$75,391$216,100$208 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · older residents
Bigelow, AR 72016 85%665$64,280$172,400$196 older residents
Celeste, TX 75423 85%881$59,375$252,900$199 pricier homes ($63K more) · older residents
Elm Mott, TX 76640 85%959$66,641$166,900$149 6 min shorter commute
Crandall, GA 30711 84%219$70,462$129,900$183 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Cumberland City, TN 37050 84%395$56,927$210,000$192 smaller · more single-family homes
Warrensville, NC 28693 83%127$62,596$171,800$228 smaller
Pembroke, GA 31321 83%179$68,472$165,500$181 larger · 8 min shorter 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.