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 Ellijay, GA 30536

Ellijay: median income $80,000, home value $338,500, $240/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Friendsville, TN 37737 96%77$81,706$320,500$266 Very close on everything we compare
Pequot Lakes, MN 56472 96%975$81,328$342,500$254 Very close on everything we compare
Piney Flats, TN 37686 93%168$84,264$352,200$211 Very close on everything we compare
Thornville, OH 43076 93%378$91,085$300,500$227 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Interlochen, MI 49643 93%695$81,222$271,300$271 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Burnet, TX 78611 93%851$80,938$319,300$212 larger
Poland, ME 04274 92%986$85,557$283,600$275 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Stuarts Draft, VA 24477 92%376$84,260$299,200$200 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Stokesdale, NC 27357 92%270$75,287$295,000$193 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Watertown, TN 37184 92%142$83,125$346,900$238 6 min longer commute
Knoxville, TN 37938 92%103$84,135$322,500$205 larger
Hortonville, WI 54944 92%706$100,523$346,200$201 Very close on everything we compare
Felton, DE 19943 91%571$73,925$312,300$200 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Greenwood, DE 19950 91%564$75,305$292,900$202 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Hardy, VA 24101 91%310$87,112$314,500$232 smaller · older residents
Efland, NC 27243 91%308$84,348$298,600$270 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Stanley, NC 28164 91%191$79,728$310,300$189 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Etowah, NC 28729 91%110$84,413$321,000$244 smaller
Somerset, WI 54025 91%847$86,930$386,500$198 pricier homes ($48K more)
Pillager, MN 56473 91%966$85,950$295,300$203 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Black Hawk, SD 57718 91%1,203$84,162$300,100$195 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Wright City, MO 63390 91%468$82,351$268,200$233 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Mount Pleasant, NC 28124 90%229$80,778$310,500$224 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older homes
Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 90%62$88,875$307,300$217 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Kingston, TN 37763 90%83$81,000$259,000$219 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger

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.