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 Picayune, MS 39466

Picayune: median income $52,765, home value $173,400, $139/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bay Minette, AL 36507 95%117$50,120$183,800$160 Very close on everything we compare
Chester, SC 29706 94%571$51,230$158,800$163 Very close on everything we compare
Oneonta, AL 35121 94%300$60,177$179,900$130 smaller
Gilmer, TX 75644 94%345$57,633$163,000$135 smaller
La Fayette, GA 30728 93%386$55,455$152,200$148 Very close on everything we compare
Russellville, KY 42276 93%464$57,144$166,600$140 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Saint Clair, MO 63077 93%543$56,281$178,200$171 smaller
Bonne Terre, MO 63628 93%512$63,602$189,100$144 smaller
Woodville, TX 75979 93%281$51,594$161,400$121 smaller
Reidsville, NC 27320 92%703$56,647$177,100$157 Very close on everything we compare
Piedmont, AL 36272 92%328$51,635$142,600$139 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Hillsboro, OH 45133 92%688$61,842$172,900$162 Very close on everything we compare
Amite, LA 70422 92%50$50,560$162,400$123 smaller
Slidell, LA 70460 92%19$62,565$192,800$119 Very close on everything we compare
Rayne, LA 70578 92%155$49,875$160,200$127 smaller
Saint Martinville, LA 70582 92%126$49,837$163,300$113 6 min shorter commute
Plaquemine, LA 70764 92%95$55,352$164,200$134 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Dunn, NC 28334 91%721$53,036$176,300$165 6 min shorter commute
Belton, SC 29627 91%500$59,167$168,200$176 smaller
Honea Path, SC 29654 91%502$58,079$166,600$149 smaller
Chipley, FL 32428 91%247$57,493$179,400$153 smaller
Scottsboro, AL 35768 91%357$52,959$157,900$138 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Rogersville, TN 37857 91%559$54,536$171,800$163 older residents
Franklinton, LA 70438 91%33$52,864$168,400$126 Very close on everything we compare
Jennings, LA 70546 91%178$52,229$153,100$106 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.