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 Sharon, SC 29742

Sharon: median income $52,775, home value $218,100, $120/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oakwood, TX 75855 90%867$45,962$186,000— cheaper homes ($32K less)
Scott, AR 72142 88%609$62,863$196,900$179 Very close on everything we compare
Sebring, FL 33876 87%517$55,564$174,100$159 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Ghent, KY 41045 87%333$53,824$183,300$111 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · younger residents
Shirleysburg, PA 17260 86%419$45,324$203,100$109 smaller · older homes
Cottonwood, AL 36320 86%351$50,000$152,700$121 cheaper homes ($65K less) · younger residents
Springville, TN 38256 86%392$56,023$166,400$174 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Valles Mines, MO 63087 86%547$60,313$217,200$148 smaller
Hemphill, TX 75948 86%760$62,028$187,000$168 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Seligman, AZ 86337 86%1,778$50,851$147,700$151 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Keysville, GA 30816 85%129$44,559$145,400$106 cheaper homes ($73K less) · younger residents
Slaughters, KY 42456 85%386$59,500$155,600$89 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · younger residents
Coulterville, IL 62237 85%512$55,208$150,200$85 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Millersville, MO 63766 85%501$58,828$210,100$115 Very close on everything we compare
Cape Fair, MO 65624 85%694$61,995$237,500$136 Very close on everything we compare
Max Meadows, VA 24360 84%140$54,792$210,600$157 larger · younger residents
Danbury, NC 27016 84%125$57,273$177,300$176 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger residents
Calhoun, TN 37309 84%192$63,699$172,600$83 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Hillsboro, KY 41049 84%266$52,969$158,300$117 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 7 min longer commute
Grand Rivers, KY 42045 84%413$50,549$157,800$90 cheaper homes ($60K less) · more renters
Kuttawa, KY 42055 84%407$63,456$179,400$152 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Higden, AR 72067 84%609$53,668$211,700$155 9 min longer commute
Buckholts, TX 76518 84%954$59,333$225,000$177 smaller · younger residents
New Paris, PA 15554 83%391$50,500$273,000$149 pricier homes ($55K more) · older homes
Germanton, NC 27019 83%114$59,176$205,000$174 older homes

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.