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 Altoona, FL 32702

Altoona: median income $50,935, home value $118,400, $192/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tonopah, NV 89049 86%2,128$45,260$146,700$166 pricier homes ($28K more) · 8 min longer commute
Greeleyville, SC 29056 83%331$47,031$83,700— cheaper homes ($35K less) · younger residents
Big Sandy, TN 38221 83%623$52,714$139,100$174 more single-family homes
Lake View, SC 29563 79%395$46,013$88,600— cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents
Gladstone, VA 24553 76%610$50,385$140,500$226 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Willseyville, NY 13864 75%963$60,389$126,700$141 smaller · 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Warrenton, NC 27589 75%545$46,730$115,300$129 larger · younger residents
Belhaven, NC 27810 75%531$51,277$173,900$187 pricier homes ($56K more) · more single-family homes
Rocky Comfort, MO 64861 75%897$63,250$141,300$200 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Mead, OK 73449 75%941$52,338$143,700$150 pricier homes ($25K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Mc Neal, AZ 85617 75%1,688$43,967$123,000$151 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Bandy, VA 24602 74%563$45,150$88,800— cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · younger residents
Gaston, NC 27832 74%566$52,194$113,600— younger residents · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Yemassee, SC 29945 74%255$55,449$124,300$166 younger residents · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Mount Ida, AR 71957 74%798$47,703$179,000$229 pricier homes ($61K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Vansant, VA 24656 73%564$43,646$95,600— more homeowners
Elizabethtown, IL 62931 73%698$49,605$105,100$124 smaller · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Benson, AZ 85602 73%1,713$53,008$203,200$164 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · more homeowners
La Luz, NM 88337 73%1,463$60,597$158,600$212 pricier homes ($40K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Patrick Springs, VA 24133 72%536$61,964$117,400$142 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Austinville, VA 24312 72%541$48,235$162,200$121 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · younger residents
Darien, GA 31305 72%164$43,138$174,700$207 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · younger residents
Springville, TN 38256 72%627$56,023$166,400$174 pricier homes ($48K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Newton, GA 39870 72%226$50,938$109,600— younger residents · 5 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Whigham, GA 39897 72%206$54,639$141,500$152 5 min shorter commute · more homeowners · more single-family homes

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.