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 Kinston, NC 28501

Kinston: median income $35,118, home value $79,000, $82/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bennettsville, SC 29512 90%127$34,734$86,400$90 Very close on everything we compare
Youngstown, OH 44505 89%436$37,538$93,000$87 younger residents
Pontiac, MI 48342 89%593$35,253$101,300$99 younger residents
Portsmouth, OH 45662 88%382$36,504$102,200$89 larger · older homes
Albany, GA 31701 87%458$35,025$94,800$76 more renters
Forrest City, AR 72335 86%746$40,400$95,400$69 newer homes
Waycross, GA 31501 84%393$37,314$113,600$106 pricier homes ($35K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Warren, OH 44485 84%448$35,195$74,900$110 more single-family homes
Gary, IN 46404 84%685$42,256$95,200$92 more single-family homes
Rockford, IL 61101 84%786$46,163$90,600$92 younger residents
Lafayette, LA 70501 83%906$33,365$116,900$79 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · younger residents
Orangeburg, SC 29115 82%223$37,751$102,000$114 larger · younger residents
Anderson, SC 29624 82%292$30,549$76,900$150 Very close on everything we compare
Clarksdale, MS 38614 82%743$37,383$92,300$64 younger residents
Yazoo City, MS 39194 82%752$32,260$130,200$93 pricier homes ($51K more) · newer homes
Meridian, MS 39301 82%666$41,766$119,400— pricier homes ($40K more) · more homeowners
Gulfport, MS 39501 82%748$34,758$121,800$92 pricier homes ($43K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Harlan, KY 40831 82%338$35,404$89,100$68 smaller · newer homes
Norton, VA 24273 81%304$41,978$109,300$89 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Marion, SC 29571 81%128$37,395$108,400$129 pricier homes ($29K more) · newer homes
Albany, GA 31705 81%454$42,972$102,900$91 larger · younger residents
Birmingham, AL 35207 81%539$31,486$80,300$69 smaller · younger residents
Greenwood, MS 38930 81%727$35,453$112,300$67 pricier homes ($33K more) · younger residents
Jackson, MS 39209 81%754$36,344$78,400$48 younger residents
Lorain, OH 44055 81%492$40,636$101,400$123 Very close on everything we compare

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.