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 Port Arthur, TX 77642

Port Arthur: median income $42,950, home value $104,700, $115/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Albany, GA 31705 93%595$42,972$102,900$91 Very close on everything we compare
Orangeburg, SC 29115 92%806$37,751$102,000$114 Very close on everything we compare
Augusta, GA 30906 92%740$45,999$124,700$112 larger
New Iberia, LA 70560 92%126$45,509$133,700$115 pricier homes ($29K more) · older residents
Mccomb, MS 39648 91%227$42,737$105,300$92 smaller
Laurinburg, NC 28352 90%907$43,728$118,600$109 smaller · older residents
Lumberton, NC 28358 90%929$48,467$110,400$121 Very close on everything we compare
Warner Robins, GA 31093 90%635$45,991$157,100$130 pricier homes ($52K more)
Tifton, GA 31794 90%628$46,056$130,100$123 pricier homes ($25K more) · older residents
Pontiac, MI 48340 90%1,059$47,891$119,900$116 Very close on everything we compare
Rocky Mount, NC 27801 89%1,024$44,884$115,400$109 smaller
Memphis, TN 38128 89%433$47,645$138,000$91 pricier homes ($33K more)
Jackson, TN 38301 89%493$43,227$132,900$128 pricier homes ($28K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Spartanburg, SC 29303 88%782$48,295$159,500$137 pricier homes ($55K more)
Florence, SC 29506 88%886$40,311$123,300$148 smaller
Hamlet, NC 28345 87%897$40,957$97,600$114 smaller · older residents
Swainsboro, GA 30401 87%708$53,071$94,600$119 smaller
Asheboro, NC 27203 86%913$46,336$156,300$145 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Sylacauga, AL 35150 86%503$45,768$132,100$100 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · older residents
Fort Wayne, IN 46816 86%912$45,343$157,700$153 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller
Wichita, KS 67216 86%566$48,902$94,900$110 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Winston-Salem, NC 27105 85%901$44,080$168,400$155 pricier homes ($64K more)
Muncie, IN 47303 85%859$47,674$118,200$117 smaller
High Point, NC 27260 84%908$42,308$128,100$162 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Roanoke Rapids, NC 27870 84%1,041$49,502$124,300$126 smaller · older 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.