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 La Follette, TN 37766

La Follette: median income $50,063, home value $187,900, $224/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Spring Hope, NC 27882 94%335$52,691$169,900$195 smaller
Cedartown, GA 30125 92%179$58,192$174,700$184 Very close on everything we compare
Oxford, NC 27565 90%305$56,432$204,000$180 Very close on everything we compare
Chester, SC 29706 90%200$51,230$158,800$163 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more homeowners
Saint Clair, MO 63077 90%400$56,281$178,200$171 smaller
Bessemer City, NC 28016 89%176$57,147$222,700$183 pricier homes ($35K more) · more homeowners
Dunn, NC 28334 89%316$53,036$176,300$165 Very close on everything we compare
Holiday, FL 34691 89%574$50,288$202,700$188 more walkable
Federalsburg, MD 21632 88%482$61,316$216,000$184 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Laurens, SC 29360 88%177$53,941$177,800$153 6 min shorter commute
Rockmart, GA 30153 88%176$57,377$215,000$179 pricier homes ($27K more)
Franklin, GA 30217 88%225$55,938$190,800$186 smaller
Thomaston, GA 30286 88%244$55,087$168,600$147 Very close on everything we compare
Rossville, GA 30741 88%122$58,834$172,700$171 larger
Okeechobee, FL 34972 88%649$61,040$220,000$225 pricier homes ($32K more)
Bay Minette, AL 36507 88%438$50,120$183,800$160 Very close on everything we compare
Leitchfield, KY 42754 88%143$48,737$171,800$155 6 min shorter commute
Waverly, OH 45690 88%196$54,333$166,000$160 Very close on everything we compare
Bristow, OK 74010 88%686$56,037$188,500$146 smaller
Atoka, OK 74525 88%693$52,685$163,700$153 smaller
Hopewell, VA 23860 87%380$62,141$206,500$195 larger
Burlington, NC 27217 87%261$51,950$173,200$182 larger · younger residents
Albemarle, NC 28001 87%230$54,804$215,400$182 pricier homes ($28K more)
Connelly Springs, NC 28612 87%151$54,934$162,400$185 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Lenoir, NC 28645 87%147$51,650$175,500$176 larger

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.