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 Fort Meade, FL 33841

Fort Meade: median income $39,384, home value $170,900, $199/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Red Boiling Springs, TN 37150 90%651$33,047$181,300$196 smaller
Tabor City, NC 28463 88%474$45,239$164,000$141 Very close on everything we compare
West Union, OH 45693 87%770$43,977$181,800$127 Very close on everything we compare
Hampton, SC 29924 86%357$43,542$165,800$131 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Brent, AL 35034 85%483$36,002$158,400$117 Very close on everything we compare
Sneedville, TN 37869 85%613$39,331$160,100$168 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Spring Hope, NC 27882 84%605$52,691$169,900$195 6 min shorter commute
Flat Rock, AL 35966 84%540$43,883$149,700$192 smaller · less walkable
Heflin, AL 36264 84%464$49,814$158,500$155 Very close on everything we compare
Waverly, TN 37185 84%676$51,314$181,800$192 older residents
Newport, TN 37821 84%573$44,161$141,900$182 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Como, MS 38619 84%670$35,379$142,000$172 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Falmouth, KY 41040 84%769$49,147$137,500$144 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Ferrum, VA 24088 83%642$41,769$152,700$163 smaller
Winnsboro, SC 29180 83%460$43,330$121,000$192 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Whitley City, KY 42653 83%640$42,656$109,200$158 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Racine, OH 45771 83%776$43,750$148,200$138 smaller
Simmesport, LA 71369 83%644$36,856$107,600— cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Irvine, KY 40336 82%699$46,367$121,600$125 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Orwell, OH 44076 82%954$52,500$162,800$164 smaller
Livermore Falls, ME 04254 81%1,320$45,843$147,500$192 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Alderson, WV 24910 81%693$38,502$153,900$151 smaller · older residents · more single-family homes
Grifton, NC 28530 81%586$37,361$151,300$178 9 min shorter commute
Whitesburg, TN 37891 81%594$47,288$174,900$181 smaller · newer homes
Clay City, KY 40312 81%709$42,564$144,600$142 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 8 min shorter commute

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.