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 Melrose, FL 32666

Melrose: median income $68,765, home value $218,000, $222/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Shelby, AL 35143 94%353$72,500$220,000$214 smaller
Freedom, PA 15042 91%763$75,742$231,700$193 Very close on everything we compare
Mc Cormick, SC 29835 90%289$57,574$184,100$196 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Hagerman, ID 83332 90%2,024$64,792$226,200$250 smaller
Hiawassee, GA 30546 89%371$59,234$295,000$248 pricier homes ($77K more)
Akron, NY 14001 88%939$75,107$232,300$199 younger residents
New Ringgold, PA 17960 88%832$73,281$231,300$168 smaller · younger residents
Boydton, VA 23917 88%523$73,965$201,600$187 smaller
Port Clinton, OH 43452 88%815$67,490$222,000$258 larger
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 88%853$66,360$284,100$256 pricier homes ($66K more)
Pennellville, NY 13132 87%988$72,473$197,200$208 smaller · younger residents
Supply, NC 28462 87%369$60,349$253,000$225 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Renfrew, PA 16053 86%774$76,054$297,500$218 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Bracey, VA 23919 86%524$66,750$300,000$203 pricier homes ($82K more) · smaller
Littleton, NC 27850 86%521$65,672$192,600$314 cheaper homes ($25K less) · younger residents
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 86%405$69,057$313,500$292 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller
Ridgeway, SC 29130 86%323$63,963$265,500$273 pricier homes ($48K more)
Nekoosa, WI 54457 86%1,093$71,083$178,200$200 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more single-family homes
Kimberling City, MO 65686 86%813$58,363$257,300$197 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · older residents
Hayesville, NC 28904 85%381$56,480$284,500$234 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger
New Middletown, OH 44442 85%780$61,528$195,800$181 smaller · younger residents
Eureka Springs, AR 72631 85%821$56,678$259,300$169 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Afton, OK 74331 85%885$61,272$204,500$218 7 min longer commute
Hemphill, TX 75948 85%708$62,028$187,000$168 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Eddington, ME 04428 84%1,273$72,857$244,500$159 pricier homes ($27K more) · 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.