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 Cat Spring, TX 78933

Cat Spring: median income $68,444, home value $272,600, $293/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
De Beque, CO 81630 89%942$64,875$269,400$234 younger residents
Ten Mile, TN 37880 88%795$65,208$215,900$258 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Rockbridge, OH 43149 88%1,035$57,500$257,600$342 larger · older homes
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 88%1,461$72,500$398,000$296 pricier homes ($125K more) · older residents
Moapa, NV 89025 88%1,157$59,777$316,800$254 pricier homes ($44K more)
Gouldsboro, ME 04607 87%1,847$60,152$253,400$270 older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Vader, WA 98593 87%1,832$84,244$343,800$273 pricier homes ($71K more)
Montross, VA 22520 86%1,260$71,487$286,400$230 larger
Wirtz, VA 24184 86%1,083$68,909$228,100$226 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Alberton, MT 59820 86%1,535$69,091$367,400$285 pricier homes ($95K more) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Orland, ME 04472 85%1,820$69,022$275,300$295 older homes
Baker, WV 26801 85%1,189$56,429$206,700$238 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Huger, SC 29450 85%1,004$57,269$286,700$252 larger
Polo, MO 64671 85%691$75,455$173,200$249 cheaper homes ($99K less) · younger residents
Kendrick, ID 83537 85%1,592$71,917$327,300$197 pricier homes ($55K more) · older homes
Grafton, NH 03240 84%1,647$81,563$267,300$223 younger residents
Dixmont, ME 04932 84%1,808$75,952$190,700$277 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Boyers, PA 16020 84%1,212$74,135$207,000— cheaper homes ($66K less) · younger residents
Heathsville, VA 22473 84%1,274$68,021$261,700$260 larger
Mc Clellanville, SC 29458 84%1,021$86,431$370,900$337 pricier homes ($98K more) · larger
Gay, GA 30218 84%734$68,250$193,900$221 cheaper homes ($79K less) · younger residents
Petersburg, TN 37144 84%684$64,620$238,100$193 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Mount Perry, OH 43760 84%1,065$79,783$275,700$241 younger residents
Cromwell, MN 55726 84%1,184$80,313$227,300$246 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Hillman, MN 56338 84%1,135$70,938$289,600$295 more homeowners · older 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.