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 Lecanto, FL 34461

Lecanto: median income $63,418, home value $312,900, $164/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bolivia, NC 28422 93%439$69,412$295,200$195 Very close on everything we compare
Folsom, LA 70437 91%478$61,280$299,000$183 smaller
Elberta, AL 36530 90%324$63,393$280,100$208 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Hertford, NC 27944 89%618$67,938$236,900$186 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Murphy, NC 28906 89%443$55,759$250,300$223 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Landrum, SC 29356 89%436$64,514$292,000$203 Very close on everything we compare
Florence, AL 35634 89%516$71,452$266,600$150 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Emory, TX 75440 89%833$65,232$286,800$181 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · younger residents
Burnsville, NC 28714 88%487$58,998$236,600$216 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Dandridge, TN 37725 88%497$68,385$261,500$233 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Terry, MS 39170 88%518$66,638$227,700$134 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Reeds Spring, MO 65737 88%830$63,811$256,900$198 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Pearl River, LA 70452 88%450$62,917$233,400$159 cheaper homes ($80K less) · younger residents
Hawkins, TX 75765 88%800$60,317$204,600$157 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Quitman, TX 75783 88%814$59,407$200,100$162 cheaper homes ($113K less) · smaller
Felton, DE 19943 87%806$73,925$312,300$200 younger residents
Boones Mill, VA 24065 87%591$63,240$251,200$169 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Floyd, VA 24091 87%570$51,319$248,200$224 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Blairsville, GA 30512 87%426$66,642$313,300$205 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Ellijay, GA 30540 87%419$72,578$294,600$231 larger
Hartwell, GA 30643 87%381$61,596$235,100$187 cheaper homes ($78K less) · more renters
Garfield, AR 72732 87%847$70,850$252,000$181 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Hawley, PA 18428 86%964$76,538$293,800$191 Very close on everything we compare
Rutherfordton, NC 28139 86%451$56,558$240,200$185 cheaper homes ($73K less) · younger residents
Prosperity, SC 29127 86%373$67,164$246,300$248 cheaper homes ($67K 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.