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 Bowling Green, FL 33834

Bowling Green: median income $60,817, home value $113,500, $222/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Deep Run, NC 28525 93%577$59,191$104,800$175 smaller
Pink Hill, NC 28572 93%570$55,660$137,100$179 Very close on everything we compare
Crossville, AL 35962 90%522$60,392$141,700$164 pricier homes ($28K more)
Colcord, OK 74338 90%957$57,768$120,500$174 older residents
Harmony, NC 28634 89%581$60,426$152,700$219 pricier homes ($39K more)
Beech Island, SC 29842 89%406$57,949$126,800$176 6 min shorter commute
Mc Arthur, OH 45651 89%808$56,294$169,200$232 pricier homes ($56K more)
Jay, OK 74346 89%971$49,556$129,700$260 Very close on everything we compare
Buffalo, TX 75831 89%889$51,935$117,500— older residents
Pinewood, SC 29125 88%433$62,778$117,900$166 smaller
Folkston, GA 31537 88%225$64,461$157,100$170 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · older residents
Chelsea, OK 74016 88%1,006$60,671$121,500$164 5 min longer commute
Nixon, TX 78140 88%972$50,250$85,200$194 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Hagerman, NM 88232 88%1,390$65,000$134,700— smaller · more homeowners
Eastover, SC 29044 87%442$57,297$135,200$152 Very close on everything we compare
Claxton, GA 30417 87%315$53,958$144,100$157 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Union, MS 39365 87%556$57,069$99,400$156 Very close on everything we compare
Anderson, MO 64831 87%965$63,254$166,800$175 pricier homes ($53K more)
Merkel, TX 79536 87%1,134$71,131$136,400$157 Very close on everything we compare
Albright, WV 26519 86%837$54,328$128,500$178 smaller
Candor, NC 27229 86%540$51,436$128,800$210 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Robbins, NC 27325 86%559$54,898$139,800$201 pricier homes ($26K more)
Vanceboro, NC 28586 86%599$57,041$112,300$139 Very close on everything we compare
Heath Springs, SC 29058 86%488$52,383$152,200$172 pricier homes ($39K more)
Nichols, SC 29581 86%486$54,701$88,500$172 cheaper homes ($25K 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.