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 Shelby, AL 35143

Shelby: median income $72,500, home value $220,000, $214/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Melrose, FL 32666 94%353$68,765$218,000$222 larger
Bracey, VA 23919 92%536$66,750$300,000$203 pricier homes ($80K more)
Hagerman, ID 83332 90%1,674$64,792$226,200$250 Very close on everything we compare
Boydton, VA 23917 89%525$73,965$201,600$187 more single-family homes
Panacea, FL 32346 89%247$61,700$267,200$257 pricier homes ($47K more)
Renfrew, PA 16053 88%645$76,054$297,500$218 pricier homes ($78K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Arapahoe, NC 28510 88%573$58,839$264,100$240 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Hemphill, TX 75948 88%440$62,028$187,000$168 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Stockton Springs, ME 04981 87%1,233$77,560$239,000$223 younger residents
Cabot, PA 16023 87%651$86,042$255,600$263 pricier homes ($36K more)
Kittrell, NC 27544 87%510$66,304$173,900$212 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Ruffs Dale, PA 15679 86%622$77,099$200,000$140 Very close on everything we compare
New Ringgold, PA 17960 86%787$73,281$231,300$168 younger residents · more single-family homes
Henry, VA 24102 86%453$76,250$173,000$192 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Catawba, SC 29704 86%344$74,303$243,800$240 younger residents
Bokeelia, FL 33922 86%516$71,164$355,800$269 pricier homes ($136K more)
La Luz, NM 88337 86%1,122$60,597$158,600$212 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Stephentown, NY 12168 85%970$88,830$204,100$243 smaller · younger residents
Akron, NY 14001 85%814$75,107$232,300$199 larger · younger residents · older homes
Newfield, NY 14867 85%840$75,507$172,800$170 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · younger residents
Crumpler, NC 28617 85%374$62,204$244,600$271 smaller
Leslie, GA 31764 85%164$86,573$211,500— smaller · more single-family homes
Zellwood, FL 32798 85%422$63,178$175,500$186 cheaper homes ($45K less) · older residents
Kuttawa, KY 42055 85%290$63,456$179,400$152 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Medina, TX 78055 85%784$85,345$266,500$250 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller · older 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.