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.

Reset

Towns most like Buffalo, SC 29321

Buffalo: median income $34,464, home value $60,000, $76/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Centreville, MS 39631 88%601$36,790$69,300$68 5 min longer commute
Prentiss, MS 39474 87%520$35,586$84,600$73 larger · 5 min longer commute
Cameron, AZ 86020 87%1,676$35,909$51,500— smaller
Swords Creek, VA 24649 86%163$39,345$67,100— smaller · older residents
Uniontown, AL 36786 86%370$33,375$70,800— more renters
Shubuta, MS 39360 86%449$31,714$66,200— younger residents
Hurley, VA 24620 84%186$30,129$69,000— Very close on everything we compare
Bledsoe, KY 40810 84%178$40,066$64,700$80 smaller · younger residents
Belle Rose, LA 70341 84%635$35,346$88,500$100 pricier homes ($29K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Inez, KY 41224 83%223$38,816$92,900— pricier homes ($33K more)
Jenkins, KY 41537 83%179$35,673$76,200$78 older residents · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Quinton, AL 35130 82%318$40,690$90,400$112 pricier homes ($30K more)
Orrville, AL 36767 82%360$41,429$84,500— smaller · newer homes
State Line, MS 39362 82%458$40,417$90,100$62 pricier homes ($30K more)
Wallins Creek, KY 40873 82%174$33,359$88,900$102 pricier homes ($29K more)
Drakesboro, KY 42337 82%346$36,875$75,500$96 smaller · older residents
Strong, AR 71765 82%622$38,636$49,200$91 smaller · newer homes
Vanderwagen, NM 87326 82%1,524$34,773$62,300— 7 min longer commute
Rowland, NC 28383 81%138$39,214$80,500$63 larger
Monticello, MS 39654 81%536$41,370$106,300$81 pricier homes ($46K more)
Jackson, KY 41339 81%211$34,764$75,100$78 larger
Gueydan, LA 70542 81%711$41,971$93,500— pricier homes ($34K more) · older residents
Sarepta, LA 71071 81%686$36,900$100,600$85 pricier homes ($41K more) · 5 min longer commute
Hamburg, AR 71646 81%589$40,823$89,700$78 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Church Rock, NM 87311 81%1,517$33,641$48,400— younger residents

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.