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.

Reset

Towns most like Chester, AR 72934

Chester: median income $59,282, home value $177,100, $266/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Stapleton, AL 36578 91%504$53,490$213,900$228 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents
Athelstane, WI 54104 90%743$56,286$171,300$245 Very close on everything we compare
Deepwater, MO 64740 89%178$61,641$147,300$167 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Macon, NC 27551 87%905$59,375$175,000$312 larger
Nunnelly, TN 37137 87%375$55,893$153,800$208 larger · 6 min longer commute
Irons, MI 49644 87%727$54,013$175,400$175 Very close on everything we compare
Mountain, WI 54149 87%723$50,250$207,500$245 pricier homes ($30K more)
Arkdale, WI 54613 87%621$51,528$172,400$232 larger · 5 min longer commute
Evensville, TN 37332 86%515$59,479$188,000$198 larger · younger residents
Edwards, MO 65326 86%182$51,888$181,100$203 larger · older homes
Amado, AZ 85645 86%1,009$60,714$206,800$173 pricier homes ($30K more)
Trego, WI 54888 85%719$63,971$240,500$249 pricier homes ($63K more)
French Village, MO 63036 85%264$58,083$200,300$186 8 min longer commute
Valley, WA 99181 85%1,476$63,661$267,600$218 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger · older homes
Frenchville, PA 16836 84%940$62,841$131,700$210 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents · older homes
Yantis, TX 75497 84%205$56,205$212,800$212 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · more renters
Pittsburg, NH 03592 83%1,359$61,094$279,500$293 pricier homes ($102K more)
Lowgap, NC 27024 83%750$62,813$188,600$191 larger · younger residents
Ivanhoe, NC 28447 82%904$77,134$241,300— pricier homes ($64K more) · younger residents
Palmyra, TN 37142 82%378$59,083$267,400$254 pricier homes ($90K more) · 6 min longer commute
Wolverine, MI 49799 82%832$58,235$184,600$203 larger · younger residents
Wausaukee, WI 54177 82%744$62,991$166,800$208 larger · younger residents · older homes
La Luz, NM 88337 82%696$60,597$158,600$212 larger · younger residents · more renters
Saint Albans, ME 04971 81%1,446$65,600$194,000$244 larger · younger residents
Zionville, NC 28698 81%697$54,402$219,400$264 pricier homes ($42K more) · 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.