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.

Reset

Towns most like Lockbourne, OH 43137

Lockbourne: median income $49,145, home value $218,200, $183/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Upton, NY 13809 93%433$52,167$206,900— smaller
Valdosta, GA 31606 93%623$50,303$206,400$173 larger
Ash, NC 28420 92%467$53,935$198,100$187 older residents
Pineville, MO 64856 91%658$45,513$186,100$165 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Pangburn, AR 72121 91%570$44,221$175,900$205 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Charlestown, NH 03603 90%596$56,731$230,400$173 larger
Klamath, CA 95548 90%2,134$43,333$215,400$180 smaller
Star, NC 27356 89%350$55,347$164,400$152 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Welling, OK 74471 89%703$45,948$156,700$178 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Lawrenceville, PA 16929 88%341$62,813$173,300$166 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Elk Park, NC 28622 88%258$44,028$169,900$199 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents
Jackson, SC 29831 88%452$53,790$177,100$134 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Quebeck, TN 38579 88%309$51,940$229,100— smaller · less walkable
Abbeville, MS 38601 88%513$47,941$190,000$147 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Benton, MO 63736 88%404$59,414$168,700$154 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Goodman, MO 64843 88%655$55,492$152,700$143 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Cameron, OK 74932 88%709$50,750$201,700$157 5 min longer commute
Mills, WY 82644 88%1,227$53,750$175,900— cheaper homes ($42K less)
Ohkay Owingeh, NM 87566 88%1,281$61,029$238,500— Very close on everything we compare
Loving, NM 88256 88%1,285$45,714$211,000$241 Very close on everything we compare
Siletz, OR 97380 88%2,097$60,132$277,200— pricier homes ($59K more)
Green Bay, VA 23942 87%314$51,505$211,700$192 smaller
Godwin, NC 28344 87%397$48,737$187,300$140 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Carnesville, GA 30521 87%377$54,121$167,500$163 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Carrabelle, FL 32322 87%694$61,955$239,400$205 larger

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.