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 Orangeburg, SC 29115

Orangeburg: median income $37,751, home value $102,000, $114/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mccomb, MS 39648 93%580$42,737$105,300$92 Very close on everything we compare
Port Arthur, TX 77642 92%806$42,950$104,700$115 Very close on everything we compare
Laurinburg, NC 28352 91%118$43,728$118,600$109 5 min shorter commute
Quincy, FL 32351 90%298$38,967$134,600$120 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Hamlet, NC 28345 89%116$40,957$97,600$114 smaller
Tifton, GA 31794 89%209$46,056$130,100$123 pricier homes ($28K more)
Selma, AL 36701 89%365$39,815$108,200$82 more homeowners
Yazoo City, MS 39194 89%553$32,260$130,200$93 pricier homes ($28K more)
Minden, LA 71055 89%722$36,953$127,000$101 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller
Lumberton, NC 28358 88%131$48,467$110,400$121 Very close on everything we compare
Albany, GA 31705 88%231$42,972$102,900$91 7 min shorter commute
Meridian, MS 39301 88%459$41,766$119,400— older residents
New Iberia, LA 70560 87%687$45,509$133,700$115 pricier homes ($32K more)
Lake Charles, LA 70615 87%753$40,047$140,400$123 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Sylacauga, AL 35150 86%313$45,768$132,100$100 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Hazard, KY 41701 86%293$39,439$97,600$98 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Warner Robins, GA 31093 85%172$45,991$157,100$130 pricier homes ($55K more)
Pontiac, MI 48340 85%647$47,891$119,900$116 6 min shorter commute
Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870 84%272$49,502$124,300$126 Very close on everything we compare
Red Springs, NC 28377 84%132$37,326$98,300$102 smaller · more homeowners
Jackson, TN 38301 84%475$43,227$132,900$128 pricier homes ($31K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Bogalusa, LA 70427 84%559$38,074$133,400$99 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Swainsboro, GA 30401 83%108$53,071$94,600$119 smaller
Youngstown, OH 44505 83%527$37,538$93,000$87 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Asheboro, NC 27203 82%166$46,336$156,300$145 pricier homes ($54K more)

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.