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 Dayton, TX 77535

Dayton: median income $84,497, home value $225,200, $155/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ridgeville, SC 29472 85%883$75,325$263,100$182 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Jacksonville, FL 32234 84%771$87,331$262,800$164 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Odenville, AL 35120 84%558$74,352$221,800$160 smaller · more single-family homes
Walker, LA 70785 83%243$89,103$245,000$158 smaller · 8 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Ruskin, FL 33570 82%769$72,172$300,500$187 pricier homes ($75K more)
Polk City, FL 33868 82%798$74,289$247,200$201 smaller · older residents
Spring Hill, FL 34610 82%752$77,396$267,500$207 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller · older residents
Wilmer, AL 36587 82%394$72,657$161,800$139 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
New Haven, MI 48048 81%1,104$70,938$188,700$166 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Denham Springs, LA 70726 81%239$78,621$228,200$151 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Angier, NC 27501 80%1,011$73,336$272,800$163 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Temple, GA 30179 80%634$76,571$249,000$165 smaller · more single-family homes
Midway, GA 31320 80%809$77,195$234,100$186 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Glen Saint Mary, FL 32040 80%757$84,095$261,500$203 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Crawfordville, FL 32327 80%631$84,138$259,700$178 pricier homes ($35K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Haines City, FL 33844 80%811$63,650$256,300$168 pricier homes ($31K more) · more renters
Denham Springs, LA 70706 80%241$91,070$252,800$158 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Smyrna, DE 19977 79%1,266$76,826$341,000$182 pricier homes ($116K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Rocky Point, NC 28457 79%1,036$78,178$245,900$196 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Galivants Ferry, SC 29544 79%956$78,401$210,000$173 smaller · older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Lake Butler, FL 32054 79%747$65,870$185,100$192 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Middleburg, FL 32068 79%778$84,431$289,500$187 pricier homes ($64K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Davenport, FL 33837 79%810$81,276$334,800$183 pricier homes ($110K more) · more single-family homes
Carriere, MS 39426 79%319$73,571$208,000$156 smaller · older residents · more single-family homes
Florence, AZ 85132 79%992$79,000$339,300$183 pricier homes ($114K more) · more single-family homes

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.