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 Hardyville, KY 42746

Hardyville: median income $50,000, home value $115,200, $126/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Eldridge, AL 35554 92%251$49,250$112,000— smaller
Pierpont, OH 44082 92%418$51,687$151,800$115 pricier homes ($37K more)
Alger, OH 45812 90%262$44,045$137,100$105 Very close on everything we compare
Bertha, MN 56437 89%785$60,345$123,300$133 Very close on everything we compare
Dorset, OH 44032 88%409$55,188$167,600$120 pricier homes ($52K more)
Madison, MO 65263 88%383$56,211$121,000$125 Very close on everything we compare
Lockesburg, AR 71846 88%522$56,250$124,700$162 Very close on everything we compare
Altona, NY 12910 87%822$53,021$140,700— pricier homes ($26K more) · older residents
Burnsville, MS 38833 87%217$52,917$142,300— pricier homes ($27K more) · more renters
North Bloomfield, OH 44450 87%394$51,723$177,200$111 pricier homes ($62K more)
Rutland, OH 45775 87%234$47,036$116,700— older homes
Sterling, MI 48659 87%481$58,750$146,200$137 pricier homes ($31K more) · older residents
Cisne, IL 62823 87%171$59,310$119,100— Very close on everything we compare
Crocker, MO 65452 87%360$60,350$130,500$130 Very close on everything we compare
Lead Hill, AR 72644 87%405$53,894$109,500$146 older residents
Sycamore, GA 31790 86%404$63,365$113,900$104 Very close on everything we compare
Decker, MI 48426 86%455$62,169$126,000— smaller · older homes
Galatia, IL 62935 86%163$60,238$105,400$144 older residents
Wright City, OK 74766 86%562$48,750$93,800$158 smaller · older residents
Spartansburg, PA 16434 85%452$59,420$145,300$113 pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents
Toone, TN 38381 85%219$51,313$110,000$134 5 min longer commute
Dennis, MS 38838 85%230$46,528$136,100— smaller · older residents
Saint Joe, IN 46785 85%287$63,250$163,300$140 pricier homes ($48K more)
Redkey, IN 47373 85%217$51,532$98,900$109 older homes
Carlisle, IN 47838 85%149$61,875$129,000$108 larger · older residents

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.