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 Dalton, GA 30720

Dalton: median income $69,369, home value $249,800, $146/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Alexandria, LA 71303 99%497$67,156$244,200$143 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Smith, AR 72903 95%532$61,434$235,900$125 Very close on everything we compare
Longview, TX 75605 95%583$73,190$252,300$160 Very close on everything we compare
Goldsboro, NC 27534 94%402$62,574$208,000$160 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Saint Cloud, MN 56303 94%890$65,198$205,200$145 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Bossier City, LA 71111 94%524$65,292$276,600$157 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Longview, TX 75604 94%585$67,942$200,600$143 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Florence, SC 29501 93%300$71,671$236,900$156 larger
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405 93%182$62,301$234,000$154 larger
Tupelo, MS 38801 93%215$62,946$197,100$141 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Elizabethtown, KY 42701 93%208$69,619$260,300$157 larger
Warsaw, IN 46582 93%453$66,738$255,300$165 smaller
Eau Claire, WI 54703 93%777$71,518$243,700$178 larger
Minot, ND 58701 93%1,251$73,269$277,800$144 pricier homes ($28K more)
Minot, ND 58703 93%1,256$82,728$263,200$143 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Joseph, MO 64506 93%641$65,573$240,300$150 Very close on everything we compare
Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 93%1,475$61,580$228,000$175 Very close on everything we compare
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 92%635$67,510$222,900$160 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older homes
Salisbury, MD 21804 92%580$73,156$243,700$164 Very close on everything we compare
Tupelo, MS 38804 92%212$64,420$219,700$155 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Evansville, IN 47715 92%261$60,897$210,600$152 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Schofield, WI 54476 92%742$78,079$224,300$165 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Menomonie, WI 54751 92%789$72,028$253,000$168 younger residents
Appleton, WI 54914 92%682$79,875$237,400$180 Very close on everything we compare
Willmar, MN 56201 92%892$68,804$216,300$132 cheaper homes ($34K less)

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.