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 Brush Creek, TN 38547

Brush Creek: median income $80,843, home value $244,100, $221/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Leeds, ME 04263 94%1,008$85,208$257,800$252 Very close on everything we compare
Verona, KY 41092 94%202$85,625$255,300$191 larger
Ralph, AL 35480 93%229$88,200$251,500$175 Very close on everything we compare
Elmira, MI 49730 93%622$79,679$207,200$198 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Foreston, MN 56330 92%774$84,519$278,300$272 pricier homes ($34K more)
Moorcroft, WY 82721 92%1,142$72,865$276,500$181 pricier homes ($32K more)
Buckfield, ME 04220 91%998$79,750$222,000$188 larger
Sheldon, VT 05483 91%914$78,505$246,500$211 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Cormorant, MS 38641 91%248$96,208$237,400$172 Very close on everything we compare
New Salisbury, IN 47161 91%154$79,914$206,800$199 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Buckley, MI 49620 91%581$75,192$225,000$224 more renters
Solway, MN 56678 91%917$73,194$202,500$243 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Bloomsdale, MO 63627 91%270$88,071$266,700$160 Very close on everything we compare
Etna, ME 04434 90%1,068$72,379$183,000$195 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Pittsville, MD 21850 90%604$79,665$234,500$223 larger
Lyndhurst, VA 22952 90%411$75,333$262,900$212 older residents
Kingsville, MO 64061 90%478$85,987$283,000$229 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Fordland, MO 65652 90%389$78,420$239,600$181 larger
Litchfield, ME 04350 89%1,012$84,904$243,900$264 larger · older residents
Levant, ME 04456 89%1,078$86,071$268,500$207 more renters
Sugar Valley, GA 30746 89%121$81,696$238,000$175 Very close on everything we compare
Gowen, MI 49326 89%493$84,000$226,100$290 larger · older homes
South Boardman, MI 49680 89%591$77,216$168,000$193 cheaper homes ($76K less)
Willow River, MN 55795 89%787$68,750$223,600$213 more renters
Silex, MO 63377 89%344$88,424$233,600$275 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.