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 Aiken, SC 29803

Aiken: median income $86,023, home value $298,800, $173/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clemmons, NC 27012 93%190$96,250$340,900$179 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Medina, OH 44256 92%528$99,923$316,000$200 larger
Tucson, AZ 85743 92%1,706$90,093$356,300$221 pricier homes ($58K more)
Huntley, IL 60142 91%702$89,735$339,900$217 pricier homes ($41K more)
Twinsburg, OH 44087 90%541$99,270$320,400$199 smaller · younger residents
Sierra Vista, AZ 85650 90%1,663$91,654$327,000$193 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Forest, VA 24551 89%298$91,067$362,500$187 pricier homes ($64K more) · younger residents
Advance, NC 27006 89%187$96,580$334,600$191 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Gainesville, FL 32653 89%261$93,913$301,700$197 smaller
Ooltewah, TN 37363 89%221$97,399$376,800$202 pricier homes ($78K more) · younger residents
Canfield, OH 44406 89%522$98,693$286,400$174 smaller
Carlisle, PA 17015 88%523$86,981$297,500$189 smaller
Pelham, AL 35124 88%293$99,726$307,600$182 smaller · younger residents
Fairhope, AL 36532 88%418$89,694$432,600$230 pricier homes ($134K more)
Johnson City, TN 37615 88%204$77,525$294,900$200 smaller · younger residents
Howell, MI 48843 88%641$94,577$348,400$201 pricier homes ($50K more) · younger residents
Saint Louis, MO 63129 88%591$94,888$295,600$170 older homes
Leland, NC 28451 87%215$81,481$351,500$210 pricier homes ($53K more) · newer homes
Maryville, TN 37803 87%198$83,446$356,100$225 pricier homes ($57K more)
Versailles, KY 40383 87%356$85,213$312,500$186 smaller · younger residents
Uniontown, OH 44685 87%516$102,773$273,000$185 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older homes
Sellersburg, IN 47172 87%409$82,503$273,500$162 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller · younger residents
Newburgh, IN 47630 87%444$94,162$272,000$159 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents
Utica, MI 48316 87%639$107,776$383,500$178 pricier homes ($85K more)
Fenton, MO 63026 87%599$97,553$294,400$189 younger residents

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.