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 Paintsville, KY 41240

Paintsville: median income $38,041, home value $148,000, $106/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Needles, CA 92363 95%1,774$40,068$163,900$110 Very close on everything we compare
Tunica, MS 38676 90%474$33,943$184,400$119 pricier homes ($36K more)
Daleville, AL 36322 88%482$47,276$124,700$110 Very close on everything we compare
Norton, VA 24273 86%62$41,978$109,300$89 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Jellico, TN 37762 85%113$42,392$143,000$110 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Mc Rae Helena, GA 31055 84%398$45,885$143,100$94 younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Monroeville, AL 36460 84%507$41,008$126,500$90 larger · younger residents
Demopolis, AL 36732 84%466$42,216$166,800$87 5 min longer commute
Marion, VA 24354 83%98$44,502$158,100$119 larger · more single-family homes
Johnston, SC 29832 83%282$42,500$130,600$127 more single-family homes
Quitman, GA 31643 83%489$37,043$107,900$128 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · more homeowners
Vernon, AL 35592 83%409$45,526$119,900$102 cheaper homes ($28K less) · more homeowners
Cheraw, SC 29520 82%270$42,308$106,800$133 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · more homeowners
Marion, SC 29571 82%317$37,395$108,400$129 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · younger residents
Meridian, MS 39301 82%502$41,766$119,400— cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · younger residents
Hugo, OK 74743 82%758$41,722$134,200$71 younger residents · more single-family homes
Truth Or Consequences, NM 87901 82%1,410$34,242$128,700$118 8 min shorter commute
Burns, OR 97720 82%1,924$49,170$191,700$122 pricier homes ($44K more)
Chase City, VA 23924 81%249$44,291$146,900$122 5 min longer commute · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Richlands, VA 24641 81%74$35,531$107,600$96 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 9 min longer commute
Ahoskie, NC 27910 81%337$43,144$118,200$117 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Windsor, NC 27983 81%347$44,441$106,400$115 cheaper homes ($42K less) · more homeowners
Elizabethtown, NC 28337 81%322$36,227$186,600$147 pricier homes ($39K more) · 8 min longer commute
Darlington, SC 29532 81%293$44,482$148,400$143 larger · younger residents
Dawson, GA 39842 81%430$43,871$117,200$122 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents · more single-family 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.