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 Apalachicola, FL 32320

Apalachicola: median income $46,713, home value $241,500, $279/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jefferson, NC 28640 93%506$53,155$282,900$264 pricier homes ($41K more)
Del Norte, CO 81132 92%1,342$55,000$209,500$235 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Salmon, ID 83467 90%1,893$53,917$316,700$265 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger
Sparta, NC 28675 89%519$44,560$215,300$218 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Eureka Springs, AR 72632 88%685$46,354$247,300$223 6 min longer commute
Canyonville, OR 97417 88%2,293$50,217$246,200$269 smaller
West Jefferson, NC 28694 87%503$58,486$273,200$266 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Crosby, MN 56441 87%1,256$50,298$208,700$209 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Libby, MT 59923 87%2,061$44,980$272,000$253 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Gerber, CA 96035 86%2,205$49,760$237,900$258 younger residents
Colebrook, NH 03576 85%1,282$52,682$214,900$204 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Ruidoso, NM 88345 85%1,239$53,971$263,700$228 larger
Garberville, CA 95542 85%2,291$46,104$395,500$212 pricier homes ($154K more) · smaller
South Bend, WA 98586 85%2,377$50,893$261,000$213 smaller · more renters · older homes
Oroville, WA 98844 85%2,237$44,201$293,800$252 pricier homes ($52K more)
Fryeburg, ME 04037 84%1,253$54,414$278,200$260 pricier homes ($37K more) · 6 min longer commute
Bryson City, NC 28713 84%404$50,882$221,900$258 larger · 7 min longer commute
Benzonia, MI 49616 84%1,029$57,982$221,600$259 smaller · more homeowners
Loyalton, CA 96118 84%2,100$54,167$243,800$229 smaller
Center Conway, NH 03813 83%1,247$56,951$252,200$330 more homeowners
Strattanville, PA 16258 83%854$55,188$183,800— cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Saint Germain, WI 54558 83%1,145$59,718$261,000$345 smaller · older residents
Bayfield, WI 54814 83%1,223$63,682$250,000$268 Very close on everything we compare
Weiser, ID 83672 83%2,011$51,045$272,800$225 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · younger residents
Portola, CA 96122 83%2,114$54,205$273,700$254 pricier homes ($32K more) · 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.