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 Saint Michaels, AZ 86511

Saint Michaels: median income $41,000, home value $45,300, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gallup, NM 87305 87%23$45,096$57,300— smaller
Yatahey, NM 87375 87%53$40,735$36,600— 6 min shorter commute
Church Rock, NM 87311 86%29$33,641$48,400— Very close on everything we compare
Montezuma Creek, UT 84534 84%111$47,708$62,000— Very close on everything we compare
Louin, MS 39338 82%1,164$50,085$59,600$110 Very close on everything we compare
Monument Valley, UT 84536 82%123$35,250$49,600— smaller
Vanderwagen, NM 87326 82%30$34,773$62,300— less walkable
Tornillo, TX 79853 81%338$42,234$83,200$275 pricier homes ($38K more)
Buffalo, SC 29321 79%1,544$34,464$60,000$76 older residents · older homes
Vardaman, MS 38878 79%1,134$42,472$75,100$56 pricier homes ($30K more) · more renters
Strong, AR 71765 79%969$38,636$49,200$91 smaller · older residents
Enid, MS 38927 78%1,085$48,611$59,900— smaller
Orlando, KY 40460 78%1,381$35,417$69,000— smaller
Sweet Water, AL 36782 77%1,237$51,429$66,200— smaller
Shubuta, MS 39360 77%1,195$31,714$66,200— Very close on everything we compare
Centreville, MS 39631 77%1,083$36,790$69,300$68 more renters · older homes
Bledsoe, KY 40810 77%1,434$40,066$64,700$80 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lena, LA 71447 75%980$43,547$67,400— smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Pueblo Of Acoma, NM 87034 74%100$48,795$82,500— pricier homes ($37K more) · older homes
Sallis, MS 39160 73%1,117$58,933$59,400— Very close on everything we compare
Crawford, MS 39743 73%1,178$51,654$44,500— smaller · older residents · more renters
Marion, LA 71260 73%978$36,366$87,100$47 pricier homes ($42K more)
Tohatchi, NM 87325 73%36$36,800$71,000— pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Hurley, VA 24620 72%1,503$30,129$69,000— smaller · older residents
State Line, MS 39362 72%1,219$40,417$90,100$62 pricier homes ($45K more) · more renters

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.