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 Mission, TX 78572

Mission: median income $54,298, home value $147,300, $133/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Searcy, AR 72143 91%736$58,344$181,300$140 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Paragould, AR 72450 89%821$57,725$178,100$135 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Hartsville, SC 29550 88%1,223$51,491$179,300$148 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller · older homes
Corbin, KY 40701 88%1,115$47,204$160,700$123 smaller
Alamogordo, NM 88310 88%650$57,214$173,000$161 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · older homes
Joplin, MO 64804 87%781$62,574$185,300$142 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Van Buren, AR 72956 87%681$62,988$184,100$141 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Winston-Salem, NC 27127 86%1,263$61,926$219,600$164 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller
Clinton, NC 28328 86%1,332$52,942$163,000$153 smaller · older homes
Sumter, SC 29150 86%1,197$50,965$169,700$133 smaller · older homes
Spartanburg, SC 29301 86%1,142$57,805$212,000$142 pricier homes ($65K more) · smaller · older homes
Southaven, MS 38671 86%781$61,843$189,000$150 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
London, KY 40741 86%1,125$64,552$168,500$149 smaller
Glasgow, KY 42141 86%1,041$52,896$184,700$146 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller · older homes
Batesville, AR 72501 86%770$52,829$147,900$116 smaller
Sumter, SC 29154 85%1,193$62,772$190,600$133 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Gaffney, SC 29341 85%1,161$58,029$188,900$167 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Florence, SC 29505 85%1,237$67,343$179,800$149 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller
Jacksonville, AL 36265 85%916$55,294$175,900$147 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Gulfport, MS 39503 85%633$62,641$203,800$145 pricier homes ($57K more) · 6 min longer commute
Somerset, KY 42503 85%1,107$54,707$210,200$144 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Farmington, MO 63640 85%923$61,913$216,700$154 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Lebanon, MO 65536 85%859$53,783$170,500$148 smaller · older homes
Thibodaux, LA 70301 85%521$58,394$217,700$150 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller · older homes
West Monroe, LA 71292 85%568$51,355$137,500$138 smaller

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.