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 Philadelphia, MS 39350

Philadelphia: median income $54,779, home value $104,400, $174/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Jacksonville, TX 75766 92%363$51,394$156,000$164 pricier homes ($52K more)
Sumter, SC 29153 91%514$60,071$125,500$133 smaller
Winnsboro, LA 71295 91%157$48,211$99,700$129 smaller
Valley, AL 36854 90%229$55,973$160,100$167 pricier homes ($56K more)
Muldrow, OK 74948 90%365$48,069$129,000$133 smaller
Barnwell, SC 29812 89%451$51,870$112,900$135 smaller
Waycross, GA 31503 89%410$55,895$109,900$134 Very close on everything we compare
Albertville, AL 35951 89%200$54,229$161,000$166 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Columbia, KY 42728 89%372$51,623$151,300$131 pricier homes ($47K more)
Tecumseh, OK 74873 89%481$55,803$138,700$128 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Pittsburg, TX 75686 89%339$59,991$170,700$162 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller
Beech Island, SC 29842 88%422$57,949$126,800$176 smaller
Trion, GA 30753 88%251$51,204$102,500$140 smaller
Cochran, GA 31014 88%338$54,362$121,200$115 smaller
Lexington, TN 38351 88%204$54,709$167,300$160 pricier homes ($63K more)
Baker, LA 70714 88%192$57,608$168,000$147 pricier homes ($64K more)
Silsbee, TX 77656 88%343$62,303$114,000$131 6 min longer commute
Marion, NC 28752 87%453$55,783$166,000$195 pricier homes ($62K more)
La Fayette, GA 30728 87%259$55,455$152,200$148 pricier homes ($48K more)
Nashville, GA 31639 87%361$54,159$152,800$136 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller
Alexander City, AL 35010 87%185$51,338$149,100$146 pricier homes ($45K more) · older residents
Boaz, AL 35957 87%195$51,406$162,600$143 pricier homes ($58K more)
Brewton, AL 36426 87%163$51,417$142,000$106 pricier homes ($38K more)
Savannah, TN 38372 87%177$51,053$160,600$152 pricier homes ($56K more)
North Vernon, IN 47265 87%473$68,191$157,100$142 pricier homes ($53K 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.