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 Ralph, AL 35480

Ralph: median income $88,200, home value $251,500, $175/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brush Creek, TN 38547 93%229$80,843$244,100$221 Very close on everything we compare
Dike, TX 75437 92%444$87,574$231,600— smaller
Verona, KY 41092 91%430$85,625$255,300$191 larger
Indian Mound, TN 37079 90%233$86,804$246,200$193 larger
Bauxite, AR 72011 90%287$84,446$208,200$175 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Moorcroft, WY 82721 90%1,202$72,865$276,500$181 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Birchwood, TN 37308 89%222$80,394$253,100$197 larger · 7 min longer commute
Lake Cormorant, MS 38641 89%184$96,208$237,400$172 6 min shorter commute
Stockton, GA 31649 88%314$93,980$216,100$170 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Mc David, FL 32568 88%157$79,279$242,300$156 larger
Bloomsdale, MO 63627 88%368$88,071$266,700$160 older homes
Mc Dade, TX 78650 88%590$85,170$300,300— pricier homes ($49K more) · older residents
Red House, WV 25168 87%498$101,660$207,200$154 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Bryceville, FL 32009 87%388$72,792$277,700$226 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
Wheeler, WI 54772 87%854$88,750$182,100$191 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller · older homes
Maurepas, LA 70449 87%262$78,405$239,100$200 larger · older residents
French Settlement, LA 70733 87%265$74,853$228,500$157 more renters
Palmer, TX 75152 87%520$94,935$250,000$201 larger
Blue Ridge, TX 75424 87%499$89,157$312,300$184 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger
Levant, ME 04456 86%1,289$86,071$268,500$207 larger · more renters
Stetson, ME 04488 86%1,284$76,023$205,700$138 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Lyndhurst, VA 22952 86%598$75,333$262,900$212 older residents · older homes
Unionville, TN 37180 86%185$96,500$297,600$195 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Santa Fe, TN 38482 86%185$90,272$350,000$263 pricier homes ($99K more)
Amesville, OH 45711 86%541$79,464$219,500$165 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · older homes

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.