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 Buras, LA 70041

Buras: median income $34,615, home value $65,600, $55/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Patrick, SC 29584 70%661$45,625$71,200— larger · more single-family homes · older homes
Buckatunna, MS 39322 70%162$37,218$59,000— younger residents · more single-family homes · older homes
Belfry, KY 41514 68%709$39,545$91,300$61 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Oneida, KY 40972 65%643$41,250$50,500$46 more single-family homes · older homes
Delbarton, WV 25670 63%715$32,961$78,000$43 larger · more single-family homes · older homes
Hayneville, AL 36040 63%260$37,872$70,100$69 larger · younger residents · more renters
Lake, MS 39092 61%207$31,937$47,600— larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Lawrence, MS 39336 60%203$38,750$57,000— more single-family homes
Marion, AL 36756 59%262$38,527$92,300$58 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger · younger residents
Pine Hill, AL 36769 59%215$36,884$73,600$48 younger residents · 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Prairie, MS 39756 58%310$57,782$80,300— younger residents
Veguita, NM 87062 58%1,069$20,539$64,600— younger residents · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Silver Creek, MS 39663 57%156$46,484$84,500$58 younger residents · more single-family homes · older homes
Martin, KY 41649 57%688$36,023$67,100— older residents · more renters · more single-family homes
Enigma, GA 31749 56%393$38,487$95,100— pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents · more renters
Preston, GA 31824 56%350$31,742$87,100$108 smaller · more renters · more single-family homes
Harold, KY 41635 56%691$41,292$78,300$104 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Mountain Pine, AR 71956 56%420$49,958$68,200$102 more single-family homes · older homes
Garysburg, NC 27831 55%849$36,136$87,300— older residents · more renters · more single-family homes
Orrum, NC 28369 55%709$40,000$77,800$77 younger residents · 9 min longer commute · more renters
Cordova, SC 29039 55%582$53,382$53,100— larger · older residents · more single-family homes
Swords Creek, VA 24649 53%691$39,345$67,100— more single-family homes · older homes
Willacoochee, GA 31650 53%410$45,106$62,500— larger · younger residents · more renters
Phyllis, KY 41554 53%697$29,353$80,500— smaller · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Bandy, VA 24602 52%705$45,150$88,800— 6 min longer commute · more renters · more single-family homes

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.