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 Chidester, AR 71726

Chidester: median income $31,328, home value $68,500, $101/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Talbotton, GA 31827 84%493$34,946$75,500$86 younger residents
Lisman, AL 36912 80%289$39,926$69,600— 8 min shorter commute
Newellton, LA 71357 78%150$28,750$81,600— younger residents · more renters
Scotland Neck, NC 27874 75%898$33,250$74,800$115 larger · more renters
Iaeger, WV 24844 74%680$25,756$66,500— younger residents · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Thorn Hill, TN 37881 74%576$37,443$111,900$160 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Oakland, MS 38948 74%181$29,400$86,200$170 larger · younger residents
Ehrhardt, SC 29081 72%692$38,147$105,700— pricier homes ($37K more)
Lower Salem, OH 45745 72%761$44,250$105,700$85 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Glennie, MI 48737 72%902$38,000$122,500$96 pricier homes ($54K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Bingham, ME 04920 71%1,456$39,860$128,100$138 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Castleberry, AL 36432 71%385$40,962$64,700$92 larger · 12 min shorter commute
Irwinton, GA 31042 69%571$36,569$83,000$124 younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Elkhorn City, KY 41522 69%646$37,331$90,600$104 larger · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Briceville, TN 37710 68%522$28,362$90,600$174 younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Sandy Hook, MS 39478 68%259$47,686$102,300$83 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · younger residents
Spavinaw, OK 74366 68%221$34,615$100,300$78 pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents
Groveton, TX 75845 68%217$48,333$104,600$89 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · younger residents
Rich Square, NC 27869 67%906$43,301$115,200$113 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Lynchburg, SC 29080 67%740$36,467$105,100$108 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Hurtsboro, AL 36860 67%451$43,451$63,400$134 younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Walton, WV 25286 66%731$45,250$106,500— pricier homes ($38K more) · younger residents
Meadow Bridge, WV 25976 66%740$41,169$126,100$148 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · younger residents
Albertson, NC 28508 66%868$34,567$48,200— larger · younger residents · more renters
Seward, PA 15954 65%899$43,958$81,800$111 larger · younger residents · 8 min shorter 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.