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 Iron City, TN 38463

Iron City: median income $58,059, home value $152,800, $118/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Blackstock, SC 29014 92%371$62,422$187,300$97 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Kimbolton, OH 43749 92%485$65,565$159,200$137 Very close on everything we compare
Malta, OH 43758 92%447$61,397$152,900$134 Very close on everything we compare
Quaker City, OH 43773 91%487$52,826$154,500$120 more renters
French Creek, WV 26218 90%488$58,646$143,900— Very close on everything we compare
Washburn, MO 65772 90%371$63,889$176,700$106 Very close on everything we compare
Mulberry, AR 72947 90%359$58,640$161,100$113 larger · more renters
Wickliffe, KY 42087 89%153$58,802$143,500$123 more renters
Dixon, KY 42409 89%170$60,000$155,000$127 more renters
Grovertown, IN 46531 89%439$57,786$141,900$129 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Shoals, IN 47581 89%255$59,776$139,600$111 older residents
Bentley, MI 48613 89%641$58,846$160,900— smaller · older residents
Violet, LA 70092 89%379$57,188$166,600$120 larger
Milano, TX 76556 89%613$52,328$153,800— smaller · older residents
Casar, NC 28020 88%340$59,978$188,700$115 pricier homes ($36K more) · older homes
Wallingford, KY 41093 88%320$60,350$123,800$131 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Kingston, MI 48741 88%624$59,107$154,800$97 older homes
Frederic, MI 49733 88%694$66,318$147,700$118 older residents
New Creek, WV 26743 87%559$61,331$198,100$112 pricier homes ($45K more) · older residents
Waterloo, AL 35677 87%20$51,964$206,000$178 pricier homes ($53K more)
Riverdale, MI 48877 87%596$64,653$112,300$113 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Sheldon, WI 54766 87%730$66,050$150,500$103 smaller · older homes
Plymouth, IL 62367 87%407$58,000$126,700— cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Lafitte, LA 70067 87%396$63,125$212,300$133 pricier homes ($60K more)
Lead Hill, AR 72644 87%314$53,894$109,500$146 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 5 min shorter commute

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.