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 Magnolia, NC 28453

Magnolia: median income $61,165, home value $140,500, $116/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sturgis, MS 39769 89%638$69,079$156,300— smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Horton, AL 35980 84%473$57,277$173,200$144 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · older residents
Jeffersonville, KY 40337 84%386$54,128$152,700$135 larger · older residents
Forest Hill, LA 71430 84%879$63,636$180,300$130 pricier homes ($40K more) · 10 min shorter commute
Apple Springs, TX 75926 84%1,012$65,833$130,400— smaller · older residents
Redfield, AR 72132 83%803$56,071$118,500$135 Very close on everything we compare
Glade Hill, VA 24092 82%174$64,388$222,900$132 pricier homes ($82K more) · older residents
Independence, LA 70443 82%782$57,464$163,900$157 larger · older residents
Agra, OK 74824 82%1,061$64,063$168,500$155 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Portal, GA 30450 81%275$60,900$153,100$154 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Lenox, GA 31637 81%401$65,391$134,500$152 older residents
Morton, MS 39117 81%686$58,438$132,800$116 larger · older residents
Germantown, KY 41044 81%418$54,406$118,600$108 smaller · older residents
Pleasant Plains, AR 72568 81%768$67,143$103,100$79 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Elm Mott, TX 76640 81%1,122$66,641$166,900$149 pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Mayesville, SC 29104 80%140$67,096$157,800$133 smaller · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Flomaton, AL 36441 80%597$50,349$138,100$109 7 min shorter commute
Blue Springs, MS 38828 80%615$65,025$158,900$161 larger · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Saint Bernard, LA 70085 80%770$55,167$156,600$118 older residents
Fouke, AR 71837 80%913$59,286$114,500$171 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Ward, AR 72176 80%784$68,840$176,000$151 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · older residents
Colbert, OK 74733 80%1,053$65,875$162,100$123 older residents · 7 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Defuniak Springs, FL 32435 79%550$65,313$224,800$156 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger
Town Creek, AL 35672 79%533$61,925$148,500$138 larger · older residents
Bentonia, MS 39040 79%723$61,250$212,200$99 pricier homes ($72K more) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute

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.