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 Lottsburg, VA 22511

Lottsburg: median income $48,988, home value $342,600, $252/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cable, WI 54821 87%943$57,813$321,400$268 7 min longer commute
Climax Springs, MO 65324 87%894$52,969$311,300$235 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more homeowners
Mercer, WI 54547 85%895$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($36K less) · newer homes
Port Orford, OR 97465 85%2,514$43,777$342,100$273 more apartments and townhomes
Conover, WI 54519 84%857$59,628$271,600$271 cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents
Three Lakes, WI 54562 84%843$57,422$326,300$370 larger
Golden, MO 65658 84%945$51,641$321,800$215 more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Mohawk, MI 49950 83%880$53,250$235,000$348 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Roach, MO 65787 82%892$62,917$314,500$254 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
La Veta, CO 81055 82%1,554$55,080$398,600$259 pricier homes ($56K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Council, ID 83612 82%2,102$54,810$309,600$257 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 81%861$62,841$282,200$246 cheaper homes ($60K less) · younger residents
Deer Isle, ME 04627 80%595$61,703$299,500$278 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · younger residents
Longville, MN 56655 80%1,093$57,404$335,200$377 newer homes
Greenville, ME 04441 79%628$64,789$291,900$361 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Penobscot, ME 04476 79%603$63,194$296,400$280 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Hackensack, MN 56452 79%1,104$62,941$352,700$300 larger · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Philipsburg, MT 59858 79%1,952$56,719$380,000$316 pricier homes ($37K more) · younger residents
Dubois, WY 82513 79%1,764$66,332$382,600$330 pricier homes ($40K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Westwood, CA 96137 79%2,366$65,896$414,900$322 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · younger residents
Tamworth, NH 03886 78%490$74,450$368,200$274 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($26K more)
Battle Lake, MN 56515 78%1,136$73,750$398,500$251 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Austin, CO 81410 78%1,697$67,826$366,700$213 Very close on everything we compare
Phelps, WI 54554 77%852$63,750$247,300$289 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Akeley, MN 56433 77%1,114$58,889$228,500$185 cheaper homes ($114K less) · younger 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.