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 Twelve Mile, IN 46988

Twelve Mile: median income $44,792, home value $165,500, $68/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Friendly, WV 26146 75%288$37,147$166,900$86 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Burnsville, WV 26335 68%328$51,513$112,900— cheaper homes ($53K less) · older residents
Verdunville, WV 25649 67%304$53,262$113,100— cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · older residents
Irondale, OH 43932 67%285$54,531$152,000$159 6 min shorter commute
Java, VA 24565 65%468$41,683$148,800— older residents · more homeowners
Crenshaw, MS 38621 65%493$36,685$91,600$85 cheaper homes ($74K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Dunnville, KY 42528 65%262$50,227$158,800$76 larger · 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Baskerville, VA 23915 64%514$50,815$156,600$119 older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Stockport, OH 43787 64%248$45,880$153,000$128 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Xenia, IL 62899 64%200$55,482$147,800$50 larger · 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Ballard, WV 24918 63%373$63,594$140,800— 9 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Trezevant, TN 38258 62%359$50,921$100,400$128 cheaper homes ($65K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Beverly, OH 45715 62%257$47,176$176,000$115 larger · older residents · 12 min shorter commute
Pirtleville, AZ 85626 62%1,453$49,519$93,800— cheaper homes ($72K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Blain, PA 17006 61%458$64,722$169,500$114 10 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Delcambre, LA 70528 61%820$49,676$125,700$59 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · older residents
Mill Creek, WV 26280 60%362$46,335$134,100$115 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
South Webster, OH 45682 60%233$56,250$187,700— larger · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Freer, TX 78357 60%1,139$68,000$137,500$74 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · older residents
Seymour, IA 52590 59%362$66,833$167,600$58 12 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Lake Arthur, LA 70549 59%827$57,692$115,100$61 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · older residents
Bloomington, TX 77951 59%1,037$49,531$133,300— cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · more homeowners
Empire, CA 95319 59%1,857$45,400$354,100— pricier homes ($189K more) · older residents
Breezewood, PA 15533 58%423$49,570$184,800$65 older residents · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Callaway, VA 24067 58%424$49,353$246,300$120 pricier homes ($81K more) · 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.