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 Stearns, KY 42647

Stearns: median income $31,927, home value $80,600, $159/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boley, OK 74829 91%672$29,583$81,900— smaller
Bernice, LA 71222 87%534$35,051$83,900$165 older residents
Hardy, AR 72542 85%384$41,295$98,500$126 Very close on everything we compare
Warrenton, GA 30828 83%252$36,444$75,200$144 more renters
Richland, MO 65556 83%440$38,194$108,400$146 pricier homes ($28K more) · more renters
Skidmore, TX 78389 83%966$37,195$86,200$118 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Jeffersonville, GA 31044 82%282$35,152$98,300$111 older residents
Evening Shade, AR 72532 82%396$38,750$113,100$134 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Mccurtain, OK 74944 82%597$36,944$83,700$108 smaller
Kykotsmovi Village, AZ 86039 82%1,451$30,000$103,200— smaller · older residents
Walnut, MS 38683 81%274$39,107$116,100$131 pricier homes ($36K more) · more renters
De Kalb, MS 39328 81%365$42,930$95,400— Very close on everything we compare
Shubuta, MS 39360 80%406$31,714$66,200— younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Waldron, AR 72958 80%550$42,221$101,300$174 larger · more renters
Cana, VA 24317 79%213$38,412$118,300$141 pricier homes ($38K more) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Great Falls, SC 29055 79%250$37,401$107,400$132 pricier homes ($27K more) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Courtland, MS 38620 79%349$45,539$105,800$125 pricier homes ($25K more)
Clarence, MO 63437 79%469$36,786$87,200$120 smaller · older residents · more renters
Belle Rose, LA 70341 79%596$35,346$88,500$100 more apartments and townhomes
Ferriday, LA 71334 79%532$34,804$81,300$105 larger · more renters
Altus, AR 72821 79%523$37,083$100,000$97 smaller · more renters
Rupert, WV 25984 78%229$27,183$82,100$110 smaller · more renters
Wallace, SC 29596 78%298$34,682$80,400$165 smaller · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Simsboro, LA 71275 78%552$36,225$110,300$165 pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents · more renters
Meigs, GA 31765 77%391$42,083$100,800— younger residents · 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.