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 Center, TX 75935

Center: median income $49,239, home value $111,500, $28/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Warren, AR 71671 88%176$43,419$101,200$36 Very close on everything we compare
Montezuma, GA 31063 86%597$52,381$111,900$41 smaller
Winona, MS 38967 85%285$39,663$141,100— pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
De Kalb, MS 39328 84%325$42,930$95,400— smaller · older residents
Tuba City, AZ 86045 84%1,022$50,844$68,200— cheaper homes ($43K less)
Zuni, NM 87327 84%874$45,959$82,200— cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Santa Rosa, NM 88435 84%637$49,648$120,200— smaller
Biscoe, NC 27209 83%864$45,861$129,300— smaller
Mc Crory, AR 72101 83%295$50,921$105,100— smaller · older residents
Eupora, MS 39744 82%310$44,548$121,100— smaller · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Oberlin, LA 70655 81%117$50,893$90,600— smaller
Prescott, AR 71857 81%147$53,125$86,300$52 cheaper homes ($25K less) · smaller
Meridian, MS 39301 80%326$41,766$119,400— larger · older residents · more renters
Portageville, MO 63873 80%411$54,362$128,400$26 smaller · older residents
Jackson, AL 36545 78%372$46,553$141,200$57 pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents
Wolf Point, MT 59201 78%1,277$53,311$127,100— smaller · older homes
Cherokee, NC 28719 77%676$60,658$188,400— pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Butler, AL 36904 77%351$44,250$143,900— pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · older residents
Maben, MS 39750 77%323$49,402$105,000— smaller · 9 min longer commute
Albany, MO 64402 77%585$54,444$111,900— smaller
Princeton, ME 04668 76%1,699$48,720$117,700— smaller
Meigs, GA 31765 76%598$42,083$100,800— smaller · 5 min longer commute
Lumpkin, GA 31815 76%551$45,417$94,900$45 smaller · older residents
Okolona, MS 38860 76%349$41,293$100,400$45 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Walnut Grove, MS 39189 76%285$49,083$101,400— smaller · 10 min longer 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.