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 Carthage, MS 39051

Carthage: median income $48,547, home value $119,400, $85/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Olive Hill, KY 41164 97%522$53,579$120,100$81 Very close on everything we compare
Chapmanville, WV 25508 93%554$48,144$133,900$82 smaller
Altoona, AL 35952 92%211$48,361$117,500$124 smaller
Manchester, KY 40962 92%443$42,852$103,000$96 5 min shorter commute
Doniphan, MO 63935 92%277$42,985$124,600$113 smaller
Jeanerette, LA 70544 92%235$54,601$117,200$104 Very close on everything we compare
Bonifay, FL 32425 90%262$46,667$123,600$127 Very close on everything we compare
Irvine, KY 40336 90%461$46,367$121,600$125 Very close on everything we compare
Kaplan, LA 70548 90%254$51,875$121,600$97 smaller
Coushatta, LA 71019 90%224$49,943$117,900$101 smaller
Marksville, LA 71351 90%188$46,378$152,900$89 pricier homes ($34K more) · more renters
Fayette, AL 35555 89%116$47,020$119,300$74 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Piedmont, AL 36272 89%235$51,635$142,600$139 Very close on everything we compare
Eubank, KY 42567 89%416$46,526$105,000$113 smaller
Lonoke, AR 72086 89%195$58,743$148,600$101 pricier homes ($29K more)
Sylvania, GA 30467 88%459$46,909$126,700$125 Very close on everything we compare
Elba, AL 36323 88%223$45,819$118,400$84 smaller · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Samson, AL 36477 88%234$50,517$115,400$81 smaller
Louisa, KY 41230 88%535$45,239$111,700$80 more apartments and townhomes
Licking, MO 65542 88%352$46,076$118,600$115 smaller
Abbeville, LA 70510 88%253$49,717$147,600$81 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Jennings, LA 70546 88%256$52,229$153,100$106 pricier homes ($34K more)
Saint Martinville, LA 70582 88%221$49,837$163,300$113 pricier homes ($44K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Vinton, LA 70668 88%298$49,455$128,800$82 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Woodville, TX 75979 88%319$51,594$161,400$121 pricier homes ($42K 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.