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 Selma, AL 36703

Selma: median income $32,227, home value $79,200, $26/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clarksville, TX 75426 86%473$35,938$93,300$23 smaller · more single-family homes
Brinkley, AR 72021 82%294$41,310$94,200$38 smaller
Oglethorpe, GA 31068 80%171$30,352$69,400— smaller · younger residents
Blackville, SC 29817 79%339$41,579$84,300$21 smaller · younger residents
Dermott, AR 71638 77%268$31,667$61,900— smaller · younger residents
Brooksville, MS 39739 75%107$24,831$85,000— smaller
Martin, KY 41649 75%429$36,023$67,100— smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Senath, MO 63876 75%313$34,837$95,900— smaller · younger residents
Stamps, AR 71860 75%382$36,758$70,100— smaller · more homeowners
Webster Springs, WV 26288 74%559$34,801$80,200$43 smaller · more homeowners
Wisner, LA 71378 74%274$36,950$110,700— pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Meridian, MS 39301 73%96$41,766$119,400— pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · younger residents
Dumas, AR 71639 73%278$37,173$85,700$44 smaller · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Fair Bluff, NC 28439 72%479$32,361$112,700$24 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Meridian, MS 39307 72%101$30,413$91,300$34 larger · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Morgan, GA 39866 71%154$31,023$92,000— smaller · younger residents
Warren, AR 71671 71%305$43,419$101,200$36 younger residents
Hoxie, AR 72433 71%337$36,473$92,400$37 smaller · younger residents · more single-family homes
Wadley, GA 30477 70%270$46,161$74,900$31 smaller · more homeowners
Edison, GA 39846 70%146$36,661$65,700— smaller · younger residents
Mamou, LA 70554 70%341$28,638$93,400$51 smaller · younger residents
San Augustine, TX 75972 69%422$44,196$96,300— smaller · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Shiprock, NM 87420 69%1,268$36,335$103,900— younger residents
Marianna, AR 72360 68%271$22,574$68,800— smaller · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Gresham, SC 29546 67%455$32,043$97,100— smaller · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners

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.