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 Custer, KY 40115

Custer: median income $74,722, home value $149,100, $122/sq ft, 63-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Midway, TX 75852 79%713$72,847$214,300$80 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Freedom, IN 47431 76%107$61,948$163,500— larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Quincy, IN 47456 73%120$69,896$179,400— pricier homes ($30K more) · 8 min shorter commute · older homes
Mc Henry, MS 39561 65%514$90,469$176,700$164 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · younger residents
Lowell, VT 05847 62%865$57,404$183,400$156 pricier homes ($34K more) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Hineston, LA 71438 61%585$63,750$134,100— older residents · 10 min shorter commute · older homes
Mount Lookout, WV 26678 59%292$64,375$121,500$178 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents · 12 min shorter commute
Patriot, OH 45658 58%219$64,162$116,600— cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · 14 min shorter commute
Holden, LA 70744 58%557$61,375$167,300$141 larger · 14 min shorter commute
Haddock, GA 31033 57%360$68,942$169,900$127 larger · 18 min shorter commute
Ravenna, TX 75476 57%621$57,697$249,300— pricier homes ($100K more) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Union Star, MO 64494 56%475$65,511$144,200$141 more renters · more single-family homes · older homes
Leakesville, MS 39451 55%476$67,576$112,100$101 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · 12 min shorter commute
Creswell, NC 27928 54%558$65,625$143,500$126 larger · 17 min shorter commute · more renters
Jayess, MS 39641 54%492$65,010$119,800$117 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · 14 min shorter commute
Boyers, PA 16020 53%410$74,135$207,000— pricier homes ($58K more) · 16 min shorter commute · older homes
Sunbury, NC 27979 53%538$63,170$192,300$120 pricier homes ($43K more) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Keatchie, LA 71046 53%582$52,679$84,000$166 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 11 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Elk Garden, WV 26717 52%399$74,712$101,300— cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · younger residents
Robertsville, MO 63072 51%252$80,333$240,700$198 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger · older residents
Spurger, TX 77660 51%667$61,500$181,900— pricier homes ($33K more) · older residents · 10 min shorter commute
Rayle, GA 30660 50%329$54,234$107,100$99 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 13 min shorter commute · older homes
Chunchula, AL 36521 49%478$76,688$183,500$148 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · 18 min shorter commute
Oakdale, TN 37829 49%151$90,691$157,300$211 larger · 18 min shorter commute
Sarah, MS 38665 49%308$80,223$170,100$168 larger · 16 min shorter commute · more renters

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.