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 Heidelberg, MS 39439

Heidelberg: median income $34,250, home value $100,900, $69/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Henning, TN 38041 89%264$41,042$95,500$97 Very close on everything we compare
Hamburg, AR 71646 87%187$40,823$89,700$78 Very close on everything we compare
Huttonsville, WV 26273 86%692$39,688$152,800$67 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Rowland, NC 28383 86%593$39,214$80,500$63 more apartments and townhomes
Carrollton, AL 35447 86%107$40,000$110,100— smaller
Frisco City, AL 36445 84%100$39,421$102,600$103 Very close on everything we compare
Wallins Creek, KY 40873 84%466$33,359$88,900$102 smaller
Inez, KY 41224 84%553$38,816$92,900— more apartments and townhomes
Pinon, AZ 86510 84%1,247$29,211$80,600— 7 min longer commute
Kermit, WV 25674 83%558$38,495$101,900— smaller · older residents
Marion, AL 36756 82%111$38,527$92,300$58 more apartments and townhomes
Salyersville, KY 41465 82%527$33,772$93,300$79 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Strunk, KY 42649 82%418$38,382$98,200$111 smaller
Zuni, NM 87327 82%1,162$45,959$82,200— Very close on everything we compare
Phil Campbell, AL 35581 81%186$43,555$104,800$116 Very close on everything we compare
Belle Rose, LA 70341 81%176$35,346$88,500$100 more apartments and townhomes
Sanders, AZ 86512 81%1,191$31,087$76,300— smaller · younger residents · more renters
Buffalo, SC 29321 80%466$34,464$60,000$76 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · older homes
Manchester, KY 40962 80%470$42,852$103,000$96 larger
Jackson, KY 41339 80%505$34,764$75,100$78 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Marion, LA 71260 80%204$36,366$87,100$47 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Cottonport, LA 71327 80%191$31,953$95,800$75 6 min longer commute · more renters · older homes
Dodson, LA 71422 80%216$36,111$108,500— smaller · 6 min longer commute
Duffield, VA 24244 79%485$40,423$115,800$116 older homes
Pound, VA 24279 79%512$43,602$97,300$110 older homes

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.