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.

Reset

Towns most like Ecru, MS 38841

Ecru: median income $54,007, home value $205,900, $155/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Delco, NC 28436 89%613$64,297$184,200— smaller
Alto, GA 30510 89%308$52,019$207,800$182 larger
Whitesburg, TN 37891 88%356$47,288$174,900$181 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Jeffersonville, KY 40337 87%381$54,128$152,700$135 cheaper homes ($53K less) · more homeowners
Warsaw, KY 41095 87%384$66,905$180,700$149 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Mc Alpin, FL 32062 86%456$58,313$246,500$176 pricier homes ($41K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Horton, AL 35980 86%154$57,277$173,200$144 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · more homeowners
Seligman, MO 65745 86%316$52,158$124,700$174 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Wilmer, TX 75172 86%458$59,457$165,500$170 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Gadsden, AZ 85336 86%1,487$49,152$226,800— larger · more single-family homes
Holly Pond, AL 35083 85%137$55,335$225,400$180 more homeowners · older homes
Independence, LA 70443 85%271$57,464$163,900$157 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Tickfaw, LA 70466 85%274$65,807$166,900$147 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Conway, MO 65632 84%304$57,656$212,400$160 more single-family homes
Saint Bernard, LA 70085 84%313$55,167$156,600$118 cheaper homes ($49K less) · more homeowners
Forest Hill, LA 71430 84%306$63,636$180,300$130 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Decatur, AR 72722 84%336$54,838$230,200$228 5 min shorter commute
Hogansburg, NY 13655 83%1,057$52,309$191,100— 6 min shorter commute
Helenwood, TN 37755 83%291$46,238$159,000$228 cheaper homes ($47K less) · older residents
Cairo, GA 39827 83%364$61,172$158,000$127 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Piketon, OH 45661 83%461$52,633$155,100$149 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger · older residents
Livingston, LA 70754 83%286$56,011$169,700$160 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · more homeowners
Newark, AR 72562 83%167$55,156$144,600$118 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Pink Hill, NC 28572 82%644$55,660$137,100$179 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · older homes
Allenhurst, GA 31301 82%463$65,417$181,900$144 more renters

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.