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 Carrollton, MI 48724

Carrollton: median income $34,512, home value $66,100, $101/sq ft.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lower Brule, SD 57548 46%782$35,750$33,900— cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
Fort Thompson, SD 57339 37%772$46,136$121,700— pricier homes ($56K more) · older residents · 11 min longer commute
Cardwell, MO 63829 37%613$28,281$68,100— older residents · 17 min longer commute · more homeowners
Fort Yates, ND 58538 35%838$34,858$88,500— larger · older residents · 11 min longer commute
Rosebud, SD 57570 30%849$51,788$50,300— larger · older residents · 13 min longer commute
Youngstown, OH 44502 29%235$31,170$42,100$68 larger · older residents · 18 min longer commute
Chattanooga, TN 37407 27%589$35,845$98,900$168 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · older residents
Saint Francis, SD 57572 27%852$40,417$37,800— cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents · 12 min longer commute
Commerce, OK 74339 27%732$34,970$72,900— larger · older residents · 16 min longer commute
Canton, OH 44704 26%226$31,812$54,300$80 larger · older residents · 18 min longer commute
Shreveport, LA 71108 26%930$32,055$71,500$47 larger · older residents · 18 min longer commute
West Helena, AR 72390 26%713$38,294$64,700$54 larger · older residents · 15 min longer commute
Premont, TX 78375 25%1,366$47,941$91,900— pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · older residents
Earlington, KY 42410 24%467$38,194$64,000$69 older residents · 17 min longer commute · more homeowners
Box Elder, MT 59521 24%1,283$50,288$103,700— pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · older residents
Montgomery, AL 36107 23%776$32,492$80,900$72 larger · older residents · 16 min longer commute
Eagle Butte, SD 57625 23%862$43,235$68,000— larger · older residents · 13 min longer commute
Hart, TX 79043 23%1,157$57,956$60,200$102 older residents · 15 min longer commute · more homeowners
Lubbock, TX 79411 23%1,182$47,634$133,900$97 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · older residents
Waco, TX 76704 22%1,091$30,349$134,900$138 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger · older residents
Dimmitt, TX 79027 22%1,160$50,865$90,900$125 larger · older residents · 15 min longer commute
South Bend, IN 46613 21%172$42,537$82,800$99 larger · older residents · 21 min longer commute
Lame Deer, MT 59043 21%1,121$29,028$111,000— pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · older residents
Tallulah, LA 71282 21%854$35,244$97,400$73 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · older residents
Wichita Falls, TX 76301 21%1,024$41,947$74,800$78 larger · older residents · 13 min longer commute

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.