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 Townsend, TN 37882

Townsend: median income $69,012, home value $344,500, $315/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 93%39$69,057$313,500$292 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Walker, MN 56484 91%966$67,019$311,200$272 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Oriental, NC 28571 90%400$63,393$372,500$257 pricier homes ($28K more)
Morganton, GA 30560 89%61$66,016$321,300$271 Very close on everything we compare
Pinetop, AZ 85935 89%1,482$73,333$437,200$326 pricier homes ($93K more) · larger
Hancock, ME 04640 88%1,019$71,699$269,100$292 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Hackensack, MN 56452 88%958$62,941$352,700$300 smaller · more single-family homes
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 88%526$78,750$335,700$286 smaller · younger residents
Mancos, CO 81328 88%1,364$72,522$412,700$293 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger
Cedaredge, CO 81413 87%1,343$58,465$355,800$245 larger
Freedom, NH 03836 86%876$66,136$389,000$344 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · older homes
Swan Lake, NY 12783 86%637$67,778$248,200$251 cheaper homes ($96K less) · smaller
Bokeelia, FL 33922 86%630$71,164$355,800$269 younger residents
Crosslake, MN 56442 86%930$79,896$479,800$349 pricier homes ($135K more)
Swanton, MD 21561 85%361$73,858$328,700$295 more single-family homes · older homes
Saluda, NC 28773 85%86$70,703$413,700$319 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Ridgeway, SC 29130 85%186$63,963$265,500$273 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645 85%1,598$77,241$287,800$300 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · younger residents
Paradise, CA 95969 85%2,072$69,067$455,500$287 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger
Casco, ME 04015 84%904$69,313$355,500$316 younger residents
Hiawassee, GA 30546 84%53$59,234$295,000$248 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Cedar Key, FL 32625 84%452$60,298$322,700$279 smaller
Mercer, WI 54547 84%796$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Iron River, WI 54847 84%851$68,795$266,600$236 cheaper homes ($78K less) · younger residents
Tower, MN 55790 84%945$77,232$328,900$339 smaller · more single-family homes · 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.