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 Carbon Hill, AL 35549

Carbon Hill: median income $47,818, home value $67,400, $118/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Haysi, VA 24256 90%373$48,788$104,100$113 pricier homes ($37K more)
Attapulgus, GA 39815 90%282$45,800$59,800— smaller · younger residents
Magnolia, MS 39652 88%258$42,966$84,400$105 larger · younger residents
Plain Dealing, LA 71064 88%361$49,878$99,300$106 pricier homes ($32K more)
North, SC 29112 87%373$50,195$91,700$109 younger residents
Hornbeak, TN 38232 87%196$46,272$103,200$148 pricier homes ($36K more)
Elkhorn City, KY 41522 87%372$37,331$90,600$104 Very close on everything we compare
Zavalla, TX 75980 87%442$45,439$94,500— pricier homes ($27K more)
Sugar Grove, VA 24375 86%398$53,571$75,200$93 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Vansant, VA 24656 86%379$43,646$95,600— pricier homes ($28K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Gueydan, LA 70542 86%397$41,971$93,500— pricier homes ($26K more)
San Augustine, TX 75972 86%417$44,196$96,300— pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Elizabeth, WV 26143 85%493$55,402$95,100$158 pricier homes ($28K more)
Rembert, SC 29128 85%404$43,571$100,200$151 pricier homes ($33K more)
Sacramento, KY 42372 85%243$48,090$102,900$120 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Bradford, AR 72020 85%249$49,231$95,300— pricier homes ($28K more) · younger residents
Ravenden, AR 72459 85%263$39,167$64,000$163 smaller
Drakes Branch, VA 23937 84%548$42,818$85,000$177 smaller · younger residents
Lena, MS 39094 84%145$56,422$97,000$128 pricier homes ($30K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Elizabethtown, IL 62931 84%249$49,605$105,100$124 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller · older residents
Doyline, LA 71023 84%353$46,055$88,000$155 younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Seward, PA 15954 83%649$43,958$81,800$111 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Swords Creek, VA 24649 83%385$39,345$67,100— smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Norway, SC 29113 83%371$48,857$84,200— smaller · younger residents
Salley, SC 29137 83%358$41,116$107,200$134 pricier homes ($40K 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.