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 Marion Junction, AL 36759

Marion Junction: median income $30,441, home value $61,200, 43-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lane, SC 29564 83%435$40,000$78,000— Very close on everything we compare
Talbotton, GA 31827 81%160$34,946$75,500$86 more single-family homes
Briceville, TN 37710 81%309$28,362$90,600$174 pricier homes ($29K more)
Mauk, GA 31058 79%167$40,655$85,200$157 larger
Oakland, MS 38948 76%189$29,400$86,200$170 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Albertson, NC 28508 73%572$34,567$48,200— larger · more renters · more single-family homes
Springfield, SC 29146 73%357$34,318$79,600$93 younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Salters, SC 29590 73%438$31,115$74,400$128 larger · younger residents
Vance, SC 29163 72%401$33,971$68,000$256 younger residents · 8 min shorter commute · more renters
Elkhorn City, KY 41522 70%436$37,331$90,600$104 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Concho, AZ 85924 70%1,297$27,058$82,600$244 larger · older residents · 11 min shorter commute
Pickens, MS 39146 69%160$31,436$61,500— larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Gloster, MS 39638 67%231$37,185$95,400$53 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · younger residents
Frierson, LA 71027 67%375$42,781$104,300$198 pricier homes ($43K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Hurley, VA 24620 65%454$30,129$69,000— larger · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Smithdale, MS 39664 65%213$42,500$113,200$189 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Fort Blackmore, VA 24250 63%399$43,465$78,900— 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Salley, SC 29137 63%354$41,116$107,200$134 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · younger residents
Clio, SC 29525 63%469$28,618$70,200— younger residents · 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Meadview, AZ 86444 62%1,546$26,678$76,000$142 older residents · 11 min shorter commute
Harts, WV 25524 61%485$40,194$89,700$74 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Ringgold, LA 71068 61%352$33,125$118,500$93 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · younger residents
Chidester, AR 71726 61%342$31,328$68,500$101 older residents · more single-family homes
Orrum, NC 28369 60%495$40,000$77,800$77 larger · younger residents · 8 min shorter commute
Ruffin, SC 29475 60%377$39,769$95,000$225 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · younger 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.