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 Lake Lure, NC 28746

Lake Lure: median income $70,469, home value $470,700, $313/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pinetop, AZ 85935 94%1,572$73,333$437,200$326 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Dauphin Island, AL 36528 92%497$67,206$432,200$312 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Westcliffe, CO 81252 92%1,297$69,527$401,900$258 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Huddleston, VA 24104 86%190$65,738$339,300$308 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Point Roberts, WA 98281 85%2,257$78,125$483,900$270 smaller
Anderson Island, WA 98303 85%2,224$80,282$546,300$302 pricier homes ($76K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Mancos, CO 81328 84%1,454$72,522$412,700$293 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Hansville, WA 98340 84%2,224$79,876$569,700$414 pricier homes ($99K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Deltaville, VA 23043 83%355$70,625$420,600$315 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller · older homes
Moneta, VA 24121 82%185$81,006$391,800$299 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Townville, SC 29689 82%76$72,951$341,600$264 cheaper homes ($129K less) · younger residents
Garden Valley, ID 83622 82%1,869$65,625$576,800$332 pricier homes ($106K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Oracle, AZ 85623 82%1,645$68,541$428,200$289 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · older residents
Alto, NM 88312 82%1,343$80,345$304,100$297 cheaper homes ($167K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Volcano, HI 96785 82%4,513$68,463$369,000$329 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Swanton, MD 21561 81%322$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($142K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Townsend, TN 37882 81%90$69,012$344,500$315 cheaper homes ($126K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Crosslake, MN 56442 81%992$79,896$479,800$349 7 min shorter commute
Graford, TX 76449 81%939$72,813$398,700$299 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Divide, CO 80814 80%1,287$80,500$466,800$254 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Florissant, CO 80816 80%1,292$75,472$418,200$252 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · younger residents
Hesperus, CO 81326 80%1,445$80,089$558,600$413 pricier homes ($88K more) · younger residents
Freedom, NH 03836 79%826$66,136$389,000$344 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 79%1,885$72,500$398,000$296 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
Naples, ME 04055 78%850$78,188$340,100$334 cheaper homes ($131K 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.