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 Gaston, SC 29053

Gaston: median income $56,703, home value $126,300, $140/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Pauls, NC 28384 91%139$51,167$94,000$181 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Lumberton, NC 28360 90%128$46,598$103,700$163 smaller
Dudley, NC 28333 89%203$50,188$97,100$153 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Vanceboro, NC 28586 89%246$57,041$112,300$139 smaller
Glennville, GA 30427 89%139$52,958$162,100$141 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Defuniak Springs, FL 32433 89%361$52,199$165,000$171 pricier homes ($39K more)
Jesup, GA 31545 88%160$48,302$160,000$142 pricier homes ($34K more)
West Monroe, LA 71292 88%647$51,355$137,500$138 more single-family homes
Odessa, TX 79763 87%1,242$56,877$132,500— larger · more walkable
Chaparral, NM 88081 87%1,457$46,017$109,300$187 Very close on everything we compare
La Grange, NC 28551 86%216$49,092$131,100$157 more single-family homes
Claxton, GA 30417 86%124$53,958$144,100$157 smaller · more single-family homes
East Dublin, GA 31027 86%135$53,048$85,100$127 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Wewahitchka, FL 32465 86%352$54,538$160,200$140 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · older residents
Livingston, LA 70754 86%610$56,011$169,700$160 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Henderson, NC 27537 85%233$57,834$165,500$178 pricier homes ($39K more) · more single-family homes
Tickfaw, LA 70466 85%592$65,807$166,900$147 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Perry, FL 32348 84%306$54,182$122,600$129 smaller · older residents
Jeffersonville, KY 40337 84%324$54,128$152,700$135 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Pink Hill, NC 28572 83%213$55,660$137,100$179 smaller · more single-family homes
Norman Park, GA 31771 83%232$62,978$87,700$137 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Tyler, TX 75706 83%827$61,687$135,400$190 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Poteet, TX 78065 83%1,081$57,200$167,300$145 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Alamo, TX 78516 83%1,144$53,229$121,200$138 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Odessa, TX 79764 83%1,243$65,170$143,500— 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.