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 Needles, CA 92363

Needles: median income $40,068, home value $163,900, $110/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Paintsville, KY 41240 95%1,774$38,041$148,000$106 Very close on everything we compare
Tunica, MS 38676 88%1,372$33,943$184,400$119 younger residents
Daleville, AL 36322 87%1,683$47,276$124,700$110 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Jellico, TN 37762 84%1,707$42,392$143,000$110 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Burns, OR 97720 84%649$49,170$191,700$122 pricier homes ($28K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Vernon, AL 35592 82%1,510$45,526$119,900$102 cheaper homes ($44K less) · more homeowners
Cave City, KY 42127 82%1,604$42,893$164,000$124 younger residents · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Norton, VA 24273 81%1,788$41,978$109,300$89 cheaper homes ($55K less) · younger residents
Milan, NM 87021 80%380$40,129$128,100— cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller · younger residents
Warrenton, NC 27589 79%2,038$46,730$115,300$129 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 8 min longer commute
Mc Rae Helena, GA 31055 79%1,829$45,885$143,100$94 younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Truth Or Consequences, NM 87901 79%434$34,242$128,700$118 cheaper homes ($35K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Quitman, GA 31643 78%1,816$37,043$107,900$128 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · more homeowners
Demopolis, AL 36732 78%1,542$42,216$166,800$87 larger · more single-family homes
South Hutchinson, KS 67505 76%951$50,882$151,300— smaller · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Elizabethtown, NC 28337 75%2,034$36,227$186,600$147 larger · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Live Oak, FL 32064 75%1,859$50,984$165,500$154 younger residents
Lake Panasoffkee, FL 33538 75%1,941$48,921$179,700$172 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Stevenson, AL 35772 75%1,624$39,313$143,500$137 younger residents · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Prestonsburg, KY 41653 75%1,776$40,542$127,800$112 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Elliston, VA 24087 74%1,917$41,204$155,100$172 younger residents · more homeowners
Richlands, VA 24641 74%1,831$35,531$107,600$96 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 8 min longer commute
Ahoskie, NC 27910 74%2,103$43,144$118,200$117 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · younger residents
Grifton, NC 28530 74%2,089$37,361$151,300$178 younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Cheraw, SC 29520 74%1,959$42,308$106,800$133 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · more homeowners

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.