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 Ray City, GA 31645

Ray City: median income $70,833, home value $140,800, $172/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Parkton, NC 28371 93%360$67,257$157,900$167 5 min longer commute
Salemburg, NC 28385 92%388$66,860$145,800$189 smaller
Lucama, NC 27851 91%435$66,750$161,600$180 older homes
Deep Run, NC 28525 91%426$59,191$104,800$175 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Warsaw, KY 41095 91%540$66,905$180,700$149 pricier homes ($40K more)
Linwood, NC 27299 90%362$65,621$196,500$185 pricier homes ($56K more)
Morrison, TN 37357 90%349$59,268$168,400$225 pricier homes ($28K more)
Dry Ridge, KY 41035 90%533$68,138$198,900$195 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger
Merkel, TX 79536 90%989$71,131$136,400$157 older homes
Broadway, NC 27505 89%384$79,462$191,000$175 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Maysville, NC 28555 89%434$69,236$170,700$186 pricier homes ($30K more)
Crossville, AL 35962 89%274$60,392$141,700$164 larger
Holcomb, MS 38940 89%438$64,048$109,600— cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Upton, KY 42784 89%466$68,699$178,100$153 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Big Sandy, TX 75755 89%705$73,402$109,500$148 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Beasley, TX 77417 89%769$75,405$184,300$151 pricier homes ($44K more) · older homes
Dalzell, SC 29040 88%258$65,978$162,100$161 larger · more single-family homes
Mayesville, SC 29104 88%264$67,096$157,800$133 smaller
Turbeville, SC 29162 88%269$61,979$111,800$125 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Town Creek, AL 35672 88%347$61,925$148,500$138 Very close on everything we compare
Anderson, MO 64831 88%750$63,254$166,800$175 pricier homes ($26K more) · older homes
Forest Hill, LA 71430 88%550$63,636$180,300$130 pricier homes ($40K more) · smaller
Winnie, TX 77665 88%668$78,590$169,900$149 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Kirtland, NM 87417 88%1,489$75,215$179,700$168 pricier homes ($39K more)
Princeton, NC 27569 87%420$78,850$221,700$183 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger

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.