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 Fairfield Bay, AR 72088

Fairfield Bay: median income $56,594, home value $164,800, $98/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fancy Gap, VA 24328 84%650$56,659$165,100$165 Very close on everything we compare
Au Gres, MI 48703 77%738$64,792$172,100$160 younger residents
Mc Cormick, SC 29835 76%579$57,574$184,100$196 larger · younger residents
Cape Fair, MO 65624 76%106$61,995$237,500$136 pricier homes ($73K more) · younger residents
Mountainair, NM 87036 76%794$47,132$209,100$111 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents
Port Austin, MI 48467 75%761$53,750$172,500$189 younger residents
Zellwood, FL 32798 74%785$63,178$175,500$186 more apartments and townhomes
Lincoln, MI 48742 74%784$66,477$170,300$126 younger residents · more single-family homes
Cape Vincent, NY 13618 73%1,028$61,494$228,700$143 pricier homes ($64K more) · younger residents
Lillian, AL 36549 73%455$63,019$216,200$161 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · younger residents
Counce, TN 38326 73%228$49,026$191,900$173 pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
North Lima, OH 44452 73%730$61,602$256,600$119 pricier homes ($92K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Oquawka, IL 61469 73%376$54,932$105,400$78 cheaper homes ($59K less) · younger residents
Amado, AZ 85645 73%1,114$60,714$206,800$173 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · younger residents
Oakwood, TX 75855 72%345$45,962$186,000— younger residents
Ruffs Dale, PA 15679 71%757$77,099$200,000$140 pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents
Sebring, FL 33876 71%855$55,564$174,100$159 larger · younger residents
Lupton, MI 48635 71%748$57,500$150,300$128 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Kimberling City, MO 65686 71%97$58,363$257,300$197 pricier homes ($93K more) · larger
Union, WV 24983 70%665$51,667$219,900$126 pricier homes ($55K more) · smaller · younger residents
Drummond Island, MI 49726 70%845$67,232$273,200— pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller · younger residents
Wallace, MI 49893 70%714$63,125$197,600$135 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · younger residents
Deepwater, MO 64740 70%199$61,641$147,300$167 smaller · younger residents
Winkelman, AZ 85192 70%1,069$59,922$161,800— younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Normalville, PA 15469 69%765$56,301$140,100— younger residents · more renters · 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.