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 Elizabethton, TN 37643

Elizabethton: median income $51,831, home value $166,600, $183/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Airy, NC 27030 96%89$46,377$165,400$179 Very close on everything we compare
Lenoir, NC 28645 96%47$51,650$175,500$176 Very close on everything we compare
Morganton, NC 28655 94%50$57,713$191,800$188 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
North Wilkesboro, NC 28659 94%61$50,280$159,300$158 smaller
Galax, VA 24333 93%75$47,730$155,400$147 smaller
Reidsville, NC 27320 93%141$56,647$177,100$157 Very close on everything we compare
Shelby, NC 28150 93%80$55,832$211,400$159 pricier homes ($45K more)
Marion, NC 28752 93%47$55,783$166,000$195 Very close on everything we compare
Salem, OH 44460 93%323$57,423$163,500$145 Very close on everything we compare
Youngstown, OH 44515 93%337$53,252$151,400$148 Very close on everything we compare
Chillicothe, OH 45601 92%211$59,748$173,100$161 larger
Waverly, OH 45690 91%197$54,333$166,000$160 smaller
Coldwater, MI 49036 91%414$62,259$167,800$175 Very close on everything we compare
Lexington, NC 27292 90%114$57,264$211,400$171 pricier homes ($45K more)
Albemarle, NC 28001 90%131$54,804$215,400$182 pricier homes ($49K more)
Dunn, NC 28334 90%213$53,036$176,300$165 Very close on everything we compare
Rockingham, NC 28379 90%168$49,149$157,400$131 Very close on everything we compare
Belton, SC 29627 90%128$59,167$168,200$176 smaller
Toccoa, GA 30577 90%138$53,818$181,100$164 younger residents
Elberton, GA 30635 90%159$57,487$153,300$130 smaller
Rossville, GA 30741 90%199$58,834$172,700$171 younger residents
Madison, IN 47250 90%242$61,284$196,600$163 pricier homes ($30K more)
Wytheville, VA 24382 89%74$57,509$163,300$157 smaller
Buckhannon, WV 26201 89%211$53,832$174,100$126 smaller
High Point, NC 27263 89%129$55,801$190,200$176 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.