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 Cottonwood, AL 36320

Cottonwood: median income $50,000, home value $152,700, $121/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Whigham, GA 39897 94%60$54,639$141,500$152 Very close on everything we compare
Mead, OK 73449 94%684$52,338$143,700$150 Very close on everything we compare
Mooringsport, LA 71060 93%520$61,417$142,600$110 Very close on everything we compare
Elloree, SC 29047 92%326$48,571$189,700$160 pricier homes ($37K more)
Wayne City, IL 62895 92%536$51,131$117,800— cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Keysville, GA 30816 91%235$44,559$145,400$106 6 min longer commute
Spencer, TN 38585 91%323$48,015$152,700$123 younger residents
Ashland, ME 04732 90%1,403$49,479$127,700$112 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Claysburg, PA 16625 90%743$55,274$164,300$111 Very close on everything we compare
Gaston, NC 27832 90%579$52,194$113,600— cheaper homes ($39K less)
Riegelwood, NC 28456 90%469$49,670$167,900$170 Very close on everything we compare
Enoree, SC 29335 90%318$52,670$123,000$123 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · younger residents
Osceola, MO 64776 90%680$44,880$149,100$126 Very close on everything we compare
Gilbert, LA 71336 90%376$45,868$209,800— pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Calico Rock, AR 72519 90%528$48,438$125,900$100 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents
Bull Shoals, AR 72619 90%557$45,042$161,600$134 smaller
Dryden, VA 24243 89%419$52,308$140,400$119 smaller · more homeowners
Ennice, NC 28623 89%453$53,384$170,600$129 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Rentz, GA 31075 89%166$52,350$110,800$124 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Mosheim, TN 37818 89%379$49,618$168,500$155 larger · younger residents
Gleason, TN 38229 89%404$58,715$146,600$125 younger residents
Ghent, KY 41045 89%530$53,824$183,300$111 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Maceo, KY 42355 89%479$60,125$144,900$129 smaller
Burnside, KY 42519 89%409$41,964$136,200$113 Very close on everything we compare
Phillipsburg, MO 65722 89%619$48,378$157,100$128 smaller

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.