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 Blue Eye, MO 65611

Blue Eye: median income $59,866, home value $298,100, $189/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oriental, NC 28571 86%937$63,393$372,500$257 pricier homes ($74K more) · 7 min longer commute
Drummond Island, MI 49726 86%821$67,232$273,200— smaller
Mercer, WI 54547 83%686$63,500$306,600$296 Very close on everything we compare
Dillard, GA 30537 82%572$50,000$318,500$215 more renters
Hiawassee, GA 30546 82%551$59,234$295,000$248 larger
Austin, CO 81410 82%814$67,826$366,700$213 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents · older homes
Eureka Springs, AR 72631 81%25$56,678$259,300$169 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · younger residents
Fort Davis, TX 79734 81%734$65,227$241,300— cheaper homes ($57K less) · younger residents
La Veta, CO 81055 81%649$55,080$398,600$259 pricier homes ($101K more) · more renters · older homes
Crossville, TN 38558 80%473$72,819$357,700$207 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Walker, MN 56484 80%731$67,019$311,200$272 larger · younger residents
Thompson Falls, MT 59873 80%1,356$60,000$305,900$277 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Mackay, ID 83251 80%1,180$73,482$366,900$286 pricier homes ($69K more) · younger residents
Cedar Key, FL 32625 79%786$60,298$322,700$279 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 79%668$62,841$282,200$246 younger residents · older homes
Hackensack, MN 56452 79%724$62,941$352,700$300 pricier homes ($55K more) · 7 min longer commute
Townsend, TN 37882 78%538$69,012$344,500$315 pricier homes ($46K more) · 8 min longer commute
Akeley, MN 56433 78%726$58,889$228,500$185 cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents
Battle Lake, MN 56515 78%686$73,750$398,500$251 pricier homes ($100K more) · older homes
Lakeside, OR 97449 78%1,690$66,000$316,700$272 older homes
Cape Vincent, NY 13618 76%1,035$61,494$228,700$143 cheaper homes ($69K less) · younger residents · older homes
Renfrew, PA 16053 76%777$76,054$297,500$218 larger · younger residents
Bracey, VA 23919 76%844$66,750$300,000$203 younger residents · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes
Raphine, VA 24472 76%782$51,429$251,000$268 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents
Calabash, NC 28467 76%852$75,341$308,600$184 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.