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 Starks, LA 70661

Starks: median income $24,917, home value $83,700, $138/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brooksville, MS 39739 89%360$24,831$85,000— more single-family homes
Booneville, KY 41314 88%758$25,911$98,500$134 larger
Preston, GA 31824 85%552$31,742$87,100$108 smaller · younger residents
Boligee, AL 35443 85%373$21,389$62,600— more apartments and townhomes
Oakland, MS 38948 84%341$29,400$86,200$170 9 min longer commute
Pine Knot, KY 42635 82%691$24,412$91,300$167 larger · younger residents · more renters
Des Arc, AR 72040 80%346$32,476$74,800$108 Very close on everything we compare
Gresham, SC 29546 79%872$32,043$97,100— younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Worthville, KY 41098 79%754$33,125$86,300$105 8 min shorter commute
Clio, SC 29525 78%873$28,618$70,200— younger residents · 8 min longer commute · older homes
Oglethorpe, GA 31068 76%582$30,352$69,400— larger · younger residents
Morgan, GA 39866 76%544$31,023$92,000— younger residents
Martin, KY 41649 76%799$36,023$67,100— Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, SC 29146 75%761$34,318$79,600$93 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Calhoun Falls, SC 29628 75%698$39,444$91,100$128 older homes
Irwinton, GA 31042 75%641$36,569$83,000$124 more homeowners
York, AL 36925 75%351$29,342$80,600— 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes · older homes
Wallins Creek, KY 40873 75%741$33,359$88,900$102 younger residents
Ola, AR 72853 75%327$35,262$98,100$108 7 min shorter commute
Garysburg, NC 27831 74%1,020$36,136$87,300— 6 min shorter commute
Dierks, AR 71833 74%265$29,018$105,400$84 more single-family homes
Lewisville, AR 71845 74%212$33,672$90,200— 6 min shorter commute
Salt Rock, WV 25559 73%854$34,727$131,300$181 pricier homes ($48K more) · younger residents
Lynchburg, SC 29080 73%833$36,467$105,100$108 5 min longer commute
Jeffersonville, GA 31044 73%628$35,152$98,300$111 larger · younger 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.