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 Pahoa, HI 96778

Pahoa: median income $39,750, home value $273,800, $312/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Luray, VA 22835 76%4,672$52,939$265,700$225 older homes
Floyd, VA 24091 74%4,586$51,319$248,200$224 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older residents
Marshall, NC 28753 74%4,463$52,304$292,800$235 more apartments and townhomes
Eclectic, AL 36024 73%4,299$57,595$243,000$277 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Nebo, NC 28761 71%4,510$54,869$176,700$270 cheaper homes ($97K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Troy, MT 59935 71%2,948$39,712$371,400$307 pricier homes ($98K more) · smaller · older residents
Morongo Valley, CA 92256 71%2,552$51,949$285,400$293 smaller · older homes
La Pine, OR 97739 71%2,550$58,579$370,500$286 pricier homes ($97K more) · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Sale Creek, TN 37373 70%4,333$54,974$310,800$208 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Sevierville, TN 37876 70%4,420$58,277$302,900$275 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Byrdstown, TN 38549 70%4,323$49,617$169,000$225 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller
Mineral Bluff, GA 30559 69%4,384$57,389$332,400$286 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Dunnellon, FL 34431 69%4,539$56,534$215,500$180 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · older residents
Dunnellon, FL 34432 69%4,551$50,446$248,300$191 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Green Mountain, NC 28740 68%4,487$48,214$213,000$310 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · older residents
Monticello, GA 31064 68%4,427$60,217$233,600$182 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Bradyville, TN 37026 68%4,276$43,005$209,800$292 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pikeville, TN 37367 68%4,325$55,154$190,600$219 cheaper homes ($83K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Whitwell, TN 37397 68%4,312$54,750$173,200$194 cheaper homes ($101K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Colonial Beach, VA 22443 67%4,755$64,810$256,800$236 higher income ($25K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Arley, AL 35541 67%4,224$57,143$190,300$269 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Smithville, TN 37166 67%4,290$52,797$224,300$209 cheaper homes ($50K less) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Tellico Plains, TN 37385 67%4,378$60,472$217,300$212 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Maynardville, TN 37807 67%4,398$62,673$215,100$231 cheaper homes ($59K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Newfoundland, PA 18445 66%4,810$53,429$247,700$209 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.