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 Lac Du Flambeau, WI 54538

Lac Du Flambeau: median income $51,429, home value $320,300, $398/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Ranchester, WY 82839 83%839$57,708$385,900$324 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Deep Gap, NC 28618 79%802$59,653$338,400$281 7 min longer commute
Ranchos De Taos, NM 87557 79%1,051$49,337$356,400$350 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Accident, MD 21520 78%691$59,852$298,600$236 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Gatlinburg, TN 37738 78%782$57,330$334,100$361 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Cloverdale, OR 97112 78%1,628$61,061$411,500$415 pricier homes ($91K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Oroville, WA 98844 78%1,385$44,201$293,800$252 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Epworth, GA 30541 77%814$66,579$214,400$343 cheaper homes ($106K less) · more homeowners
Etna, CA 96027 77%1,671$64,308$312,700$236 smaller · older residents
Bay City, OR 97107 77%1,626$70,417$407,400$306 pricier homes ($87K more)
Seal Rock, OR 97376 77%1,648$70,446$428,000$368 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
West Jefferson, NC 28694 76%793$58,486$273,200$266 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · older residents
Erskine, MN 56535 76%312$65,536$233,600$336 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Hoolehua, HI 96729 76%4,095$59,375$231,900— cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Jefferson, NC 28640 75%792$53,155$282,900$264 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · older residents
Polson, MT 59860 75%1,148$62,047$441,500$309 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Ronan, MT 59864 75%1,147$61,978$297,700$274 larger · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Clayton, GA 30525 74%838$65,150$274,200$258 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · older residents
Apalachicola, FL 32320 74%1,153$46,713$241,500$279 cheaper homes ($79K less) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Burwell, NE 68823 74%541$61,974$174,100— cheaper homes ($146K less) · smaller
Weiser, ID 83672 74%1,319$51,045$272,800$225 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Huntsville, OH 43324 73%490$56,466$256,500$254 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Culver, IN 46511 73%371$58,293$233,700$220 cheaper homes ($87K less) · 7 min longer commute
Pine River, MN 56474 73%223$59,922$238,600$238 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 7 min longer commute
Buffalo, WY 82834 73%825$63,395$328,700$222 larger · more apartments and townhomes

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.