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.

Reset

Towns most like Sturgis, MS 39769

Sturgis: median income $69,079, home value $156,300, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Coolidge, TX 76635 93%457$62,031$153,300— Very close on everything we compare
Paris, MI 49338 91%744$69,375$161,900$148 Very close on everything we compare
Forest Hill, LA 71430 91%259$63,636$180,300$130 larger
Mayesville, SC 29104 90%509$67,096$157,800$133 older residents
Magnolia, NC 28453 89%638$61,165$140,500$116 larger · 6 min longer commute
Ararat, NC 27007 88%523$77,163$216,200$202 pricier homes ($60K more)
Upton, KY 42784 88%334$68,699$178,100$153 larger · older residents
Emerson, AR 71740 88%241$65,455$168,300$149 6 min shorter commute
Teachey, NC 28464 87%638$60,130$173,800$195 Very close on everything we compare
Rosepine, LA 70659 87%299$65,640$204,400— pricier homes ($48K more) · older residents
Colbert, OK 74733 87%430$65,875$162,100$123 larger · older residents · more single-family homes
Theresa, NY 13691 86%1,032$79,943$173,400$147 larger
Lesage, WV 25537 86%517$68,385$188,700$78 pricier homes ($32K more) · older residents
Lenox, GA 31637 86%357$65,391$134,500$152 larger · older residents
Pellston, MI 49769 86%873$67,558$160,000$230 more single-family homes
Leeton, MO 64761 86%445$73,750$123,800$156 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Apple Springs, TX 75926 86%376$65,833$130,400— cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Thorndike, ME 04986 85%1,310$71,833$184,500$163 pricier homes ($28K more) · more single-family homes
Unity, ME 04988 85%1,308$62,929$203,600$251 pricier homes ($47K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Bloxom, VA 23308 85%814$73,750$138,100$179 larger · older homes
Portal, GA 30450 85%417$60,900$153,100$154 larger · older residents
Lodge Grass, MT 59050 85%1,276$62,500$112,500— cheaper homes ($44K less)
Pleasant Plains, AR 72568 85%213$67,143$103,100$79 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Ochelata, OK 74051 85%451$67,841$178,300$152 older residents
Agra, OK 74824 85%478$64,063$168,500$155 5 min longer commute

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.