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 Zavalla, TX 75980

Zavalla: median income $45,439, home value $94,500, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Oakman, AL 35579 96%445$46,968$110,800$86 Very close on everything we compare
Virgie, KY 41572 94%795$40,028$106,100$125 Very close on everything we compare
Gueydan, LA 70542 93%135$41,971$93,500— Very close on everything we compare
Harts, WV 25524 92%844$40,194$89,700$74 Very close on everything we compare
Sacramento, KY 42372 92%593$48,090$102,900$120 smaller
Bradford, AR 72020 92%338$49,231$95,300— Very close on everything we compare
Seth, WV 25181 91%868$46,705$91,900$122 smaller · younger residents
Waldo, AR 71770 91%165$44,569$91,200$109 younger residents
Mill Run, PA 15464 90%1,034$46,250$119,500$171 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller
Tunnelton, WV 26444 90%1,000$44,004$119,800$112 pricier homes ($25K more)
Ruffin, SC 29475 90%804$39,769$95,000$225 Very close on everything we compare
Plain Dealing, LA 71064 90%128$49,878$99,300$106 larger
Clendenin, WV 25045 89%893$52,025$119,900$111 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Elizabeth, WV 26143 89%913$55,402$95,100$158 Very close on everything we compare
Lynchburg, SC 29080 89%855$36,467$105,100$108 Very close on everything we compare
Uvalda, GA 30473 89%701$49,565$109,200$119 Very close on everything we compare
Old Fort, TN 37362 89%599$52,019$122,700$244 pricier homes ($28K more)
Palmer, TN 37365 89%587$54,907$130,600$152 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Hornbeak, TN 38232 89%463$46,272$103,200$148 older residents
Gloster, MS 39638 89%205$37,185$95,400$53 Very close on everything we compare
Liberty, MS 39645 89%217$40,231$114,800$100 larger
Irondale, MO 63648 89%507$51,765$99,500$126 younger residents
Doyline, LA 71023 89%109$46,055$88,000$155 5 min shorter commute
Haysi, VA 24256 88%808$48,788$104,100$113 more renters
Norway, SC 29113 88%791$48,857$84,200— 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.