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.

Reset

Towns most like Ocala, FL 34476

Ocala: median income $65,860, home value $282,200, $159/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blairsville, GA 30512 92%411$66,642$313,300$205 pricier homes ($31K more)
Foley, AL 36535 91%338$66,714$282,700$183 Very close on everything we compare
Murphy, NC 28906 90%429$55,759$250,300$223 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Bolivia, NC 28422 89%415$69,412$295,200$195 smaller
Longs, SC 29568 89%388$62,653$254,900$181 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Ellijay, GA 30540 88%406$72,578$294,600$231 Very close on everything we compare
Rutherfordton, NC 28139 86%432$56,558$240,200$185 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Burnsville, NC 28714 85%469$58,998$236,600$216 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Oxford, GA 30054 85%329$76,427$318,200$181 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller · younger residents
Hartwell, GA 30643 85%364$61,596$235,100$187 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · older homes
Florence, AL 35634 85%509$71,452$266,600$150 smaller · older homes
Bay Saint Louis, MS 39520 85%441$62,176$225,600$230 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · more renters
Felton, DE 19943 84%783$73,925$312,300$200 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · younger residents
Dandridge, TN 37725 84%481$68,385$261,500$233 smaller
Terry, MS 39170 84%523$66,638$227,700$134 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Reeds Spring, MO 65737 84%829$63,811$256,900$198 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Pearl River, LA 70452 84%460$62,917$233,400$159 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hawkins, TX 75765 84%807$60,317$204,600$157 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Gibsonville, NC 27249 83%508$80,880$236,600$173 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · younger residents
Hertford, NC 27944 83%595$67,938$236,900$186 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Blountville, TN 37617 83%513$64,764$247,700$178 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · younger residents
Jonesborough, TN 37659 83%496$71,110$249,600$208 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents
Burnet, TX 78611 83%965$80,938$319,300$212 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Hawley, PA 18428 82%941$76,538$293,800$191 smaller · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Landrum, SC 29356 82%417$64,514$292,000$203 smaller · older 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.