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 Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Hattiesburg: median income $41,127, home value $134,300, $120/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Harlingen, TX 78550 91%618$49,007$131,100$136 Very close on everything we compare
Valdosta, GA 31601 89%356$36,111$142,200$141 Very close on everything we compare
Florence, AL 35630 89%261$46,304$174,800$132 pricier homes ($41K more)
Nacogdoches, TX 75961 89%307$41,495$141,200— smaller
Mcallen, TX 78501 89%645$48,071$161,000$129 pricier homes ($27K more) · older residents
Las Cruces, NM 88001 89%1,026$33,087$163,800$154 pricier homes ($30K more)
Jonesboro, AR 72401 88%322$45,329$188,600$124 pricier homes ($54K more)
Russellville, AR 72801 87%352$47,830$163,700$129 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Americus, GA 31709 86%304$41,531$139,800$74 smaller
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858 86%884$51,267$170,800$148 pricier homes ($37K more)
Charleston, IL 61920 86%568$52,429$149,200$104 smaller
Killeen, TX 76543 86%494$48,564$154,000$122 6 min longer commute
Greensboro, NC 27405 85%640$47,431$174,900$164 pricier homes ($41K more) · 5 min longer commute
Albany, GA 31707 85%301$50,862$133,900$98 smaller
Troy, AL 36081 85%199$44,375$198,800$113 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller
Asheboro, NC 27203 84%627$46,336$156,300$145 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Wilson, NC 27893 84%723$42,810$158,600$155 older residents
Fayetteville, NC 28301 84%656$39,198$122,400$146 smaller
Columbia, SC 29203 84%517$46,054$141,300$148 more walkable
Spartanburg, SC 29306 84%494$41,356$177,500$152 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Natchitoches, LA 71457 84%225$46,668$197,000$134 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Tahlequah, OK 74464 84%455$51,262$174,000$143 pricier homes ($40K more)
Lubbock, TX 79415 84%749$36,468$96,400$139 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Commerce, TX 75428 83%408$51,424$162,500$127 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Lubbock, TX 79414 83%751$49,057$157,500$105 smaller

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.