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 Melbourne, AR 72556

Melbourne: median income $46,113, home value $152,500, $127/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Okemah, OK 74859 94%251$42,701$130,500$119 larger
Farmville, NC 27828 93%803$49,940$169,000$133 larger
Ackerman, MS 39735 93%242$51,820$147,600— Very close on everything we compare
Tishomingo, OK 73460 93%296$46,875$140,900$123 younger residents
Piedmont, MO 63957 92%101$43,582$118,800$110 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Mountain View, MO 65548 92%65$48,698$133,000$102 larger
Cabool, MO 65689 92%75$44,231$169,300$110 Very close on everything we compare
Hughes Springs, TX 75656 92%261$41,727$144,500$145 Very close on everything we compare
San Saba, TX 76877 92%518$53,500$165,400$164 Very close on everything we compare
Cove City, NC 28523 91%822$45,452$158,600$118 younger residents
Johnston, SC 29832 91%593$42,500$130,600$127 Very close on everything we compare
Bridgeport, AL 35740 91%356$46,148$141,900$134 Very close on everything we compare
El Dorado Springs, MO 64744 91%170$47,685$167,900$118 larger
Spencer, OK 73084 91%307$54,375$141,600$148 larger
Antlers, OK 74523 91%245$47,702$130,100$128 larger
Hartshorne, OK 74547 91%223$45,521$116,000$108 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Halls, TN 38040 90%140$49,833$148,800$136 Very close on everything we compare
Huntingdon, TN 38344 90%195$54,395$151,800$133 larger
Eupora, MS 39744 90%229$44,548$121,100— cheaper homes ($31K less)
Colquitt, GA 39837 90%533$52,596$121,000$107 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Stigler, OK 74462 90%188$49,293$167,000$113 larger · more homeowners
Chilhowie, VA 24319 89%571$52,721$156,700$138 larger
Mc Kenzie, TN 38201 89%190$48,466$171,000$143 larger
Ironton, MO 63650 89%129$50,183$123,100$124 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older homes
Lamar, MO 64759 89%168$50,000$149,000$168 larger

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.