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 Columbus, MS 39701

Columbus: median income $32,599, home value $117,900, $37/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Shreveport, LA 71109 89%314$32,939$93,600$37 younger residents
Caruthersville, MO 63830 77%202$36,979$121,300$58 smaller · younger residents
Lake Providence, LA 71254 77%161$31,433$107,100— smaller · younger residents
Shreveport, LA 71103 76%312$27,380$75,900— cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Dumas, AR 71639 76%175$37,173$85,700$44 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Mobile, AL 36617 75%188$40,900$75,400$36 cheaper homes ($43K less) · more single-family homes
Pine Bluff, AR 71601 74%207$37,528$80,000$31 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Baton Rouge, LA 70805 73%255$25,397$108,500$47 larger · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Alexandria, LA 71302 73%272$34,669$110,000$56 younger residents · more homeowners
Albany, GA 31701 72%283$35,025$94,800$76 younger residents
Birmingham, AL 35204 72%96$35,420$89,300$42 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more walkable · older homes
Birmingham, AL 35217 72%101$40,486$120,400$55 9 min longer commute
Charleston, MO 63834 72%247$41,348$114,000$67 smaller
Lafayette, LA 70501 72%301$33,365$116,900$79 larger · younger residents
Mobile, AL 36603 71%190$26,879$109,100$68 smaller · younger residents · more renters
Anniston, AL 36201 70%154$37,614$80,900$40 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Harlan, KY 40831 70%372$35,404$89,100$68 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Baton Rouge, LA 70807 70%252$27,534$121,100$47 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Montgomery, AL 36105 68%148$41,486$82,400$42 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
White Castle, LA 70788 68%274$33,079$138,100$33 smaller · younger residents · less walkable
Tallulah, LA 71282 68%163$35,244$97,400$73 younger residents
Hugo, OK 74743 68%405$41,722$134,200$71 more homeowners
Kinston, NC 28501 67%636$35,118$79,000$82 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 5 min longer commute
Birmingham, AL 35234 67%98$26,831$114,300$34 smaller · more walkable · older homes
Montgomery, AL 36108 67%145$33,291$73,800$57 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners

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.