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 Rainbow City, AL 35906

Rainbow City: median income $56,420, home value $220,900, $155/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cornelia, GA 30531 98%151$53,762$227,300$169 Very close on everything we compare
Ocala, FL 34479 95%399$54,283$207,400$165 Very close on everything we compare
Dayton, TN 37321 95%124$54,684$192,700$179 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Bristow, OK 74010 95%597$56,037$188,500$146 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Siler City, NC 27344 94%396$57,320$184,200$186 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Belleview, FL 34420 94%413$60,680$222,400$159 larger
Mount Sterling, KY 40353 94%309$57,329$184,000$162 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Fairfield, TX 75840 94%604$58,224$206,200$144 Very close on everything we compare
Rockwell, NC 28138 93%341$66,896$216,100$183 Very close on everything we compare
Dunn, NC 28334 93%436$53,036$176,300$165 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Wilkesboro, NC 28697 93%318$52,988$218,500$171 Very close on everything we compare
Walhalla, SC 29691 93%182$49,639$190,600$163 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Jefferson City, TN 37760 93%211$66,190$238,200$184 Very close on everything we compare
Sweetwater, TN 37874 93%148$53,605$191,300$192 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Pulaski, TN 38478 93%103$61,295$226,200$176 larger
Scottsville, KY 42164 93%196$60,106$196,800$159 larger
Beebe, AR 72012 93%341$61,277$171,700$144 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Cuero, TX 77954 93%739$66,195$187,200$144 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Farmville, NC 27828 92%496$49,940$169,000$133 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Nashville, NC 27856 92%482$66,510$194,600$162 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Edenton, NC 27932 92%556$53,490$233,400$200 Very close on everything we compare
Wallace, NC 28466 92%468$65,558$193,300$161 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Ayden, NC 28513 92%504$57,285$161,600$150 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Anderson, SC 29625 92%197$61,960$223,500$172 larger
Commerce, GA 30530 92%155$55,392$274,800$174 pricier homes ($54K more)

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.