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 Symsonia, KY 42082

Symsonia: median income $67,000, home value $223,200, $134/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chancellor, AL 36316 91%425$77,016$207,800$148 Very close on everything we compare
Pilot, VA 24138 90%452$62,400$235,700$130 Very close on everything we compare
Blanchard, MI 49310 90%492$64,420$177,700$145 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Russellville, MO 65074 90%241$74,464$178,800$128 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Plato, MO 65552 90%205$63,894$189,000$118 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 6 min longer commute
Plymouth, ME 04969 89%1,141$61,964$207,100— older residents
Elrod, AL 35458 88%255$64,688$174,500$144 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Cashton, WI 54619 88%487$71,463$230,200$149 larger · older homes
Shevlin, MN 56676 87%808$74,167$209,600$151 older residents
Sugar Valley, GA 30746 86%254$81,696$238,000$175 Very close on everything we compare
Dudley, GA 31022 86%432$63,875$195,700$160 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents
Sims, NC 27880 85%586$79,375$219,500$165 larger
Lexington, AL 35648 85%149$79,500$172,600$148 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Verndale, MN 56481 85%742$73,295$167,700$141 cheaper homes ($56K less) · older homes
Dieterich, IL 62424 85%147$84,635$225,800$142 more renters
Ash Grove, MO 65604 85%280$68,683$198,200$161 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger
Benton, KS 67017 85%475$88,750$259,400$150 pricier homes ($36K more)
London, AR 72847 85%286$61,158$161,200$170 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Boling, TX 77420 85%682$67,697$226,400$104 older homes
Thorndike, ME 04986 84%1,135$71,833$184,500$163 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 6 min longer commute
Mardela Springs, MD 21837 84%706$62,880$227,400$182 larger · older residents
Siloam, NC 27047 84%442$71,146$214,500— more apartments and townhomes
Stem, NC 27581 84%545$59,492$210,600$193 larger
Maple Hill, NC 28454 84%625$73,015$209,400$177 larger · 7 min longer commute · more renters
Leesburg, AL 35983 84%243$63,793$174,300$187 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes

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.