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 Madison, GA 30650

Madison: median income $71,599, home value $336,400, $197/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Holly, NC 28120 96%182$78,231$321,500$210 larger
Guntersville, AL 35976 95%169$72,643$266,500$190 cheaper homes ($70K less)
Marble Falls, TX 78654 95%891$74,130$358,400$207 Very close on everything we compare
Travelers Rest, SC 29690 94%114$69,956$287,000$227 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Piney Flats, TN 37686 94%207$84,264$352,200$211 Very close on everything we compare
Ellsworth, ME 04605 93%1,103$77,377$256,900$244 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Stokesdale, NC 27357 93%270$75,287$295,000$193 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Alachua, FL 32615 93%268$85,701$297,200$172 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Johnson City, TN 37615 93%202$77,525$294,900$200 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Louisville, TN 37777 93%158$75,648$345,600$244 Very close on everything we compare
Cleves, OH 45002 93%393$81,229$310,900$190 cheaper homes ($26K less) · younger residents
Pacific, MO 63069 93%529$78,185$292,100$187 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Rogersville, MO 65742 93%595$83,795$317,100$178 Very close on everything we compare
Broadway, VA 22815 92%434$74,899$278,700$190 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Carthage, NC 28327 92%260$87,434$322,000$194 Very close on everything we compare
Clyde, NC 28721 92%139$62,279$281,800$232 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Mars Hill, NC 28754 92%165$68,750$296,700$248 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Pendleton, SC 29670 92%83$72,445$269,500$150 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Plant City, FL 33566 92%394$72,393$330,900$202 larger · younger residents
Cookeville, TN 38506 92%211$70,279$288,100$193 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Osceola, WI 54020 92%947$74,702$306,500$202 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Baton Rouge, LA 70818 92%492$78,432$268,200$160 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Bellville, TX 77418 92%791$90,611$344,400$174 Very close on everything we compare
Wilson, NC 27896 91%346$75,696$242,700$170 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Vass, NC 28394 91%265$79,643$300,800$185 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller

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.