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 City, MN 55041

Lake City: median income $78,672, home value $275,200, $221/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Clear Lake, IA 50428 97%105$81,037$283,400$232 Very close on everything we compare
Centre Hall, PA 16828 96%782$76,468$273,800$192 smaller
Milford, IA 51351 93%163$73,824$273,100$184 smaller
Swanzey, NH 03446 92%1,001$85,484$262,100$228 Very close on everything we compare
Montesano, WA 98563 92%1,506$84,634$349,200$230 pricier homes ($74K more)
Feeding Hills, MA 01030 91%998$93,815$327,700$248 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Waldoboro, ME 04572 91%1,130$69,107$274,900$192 Very close on everything we compare
Lyndonville, VT 05851 91%994$68,488$227,200$177 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Bridgman, MI 49106 91%336$72,500$262,400$206 smaller · younger residents
Kiel, WI 53042 91%215$86,389$239,400$205 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Spring Green, WI 53588 91%140$83,417$292,300$232 smaller
Newport, NH 03773 90%1,001$81,232$239,300$213 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more renters
Freedom, PA 15042 90%666$75,742$231,700$193 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 6 min longer commute
Marysville, PA 17053 90%830$82,269$227,500$189 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Valdese, NC 28690 90%824$67,000$211,300$219 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Oostburg, WI 53070 90%230$91,557$282,000$194 smaller · younger residents
La Grange, TX 78945 90%1,035$75,446$340,300$168 pricier homes ($65K more)
Akron, NY 14001 89%694$75,107$232,300$199 cheaper homes ($43K less) · less walkable
Bath, PA 18014 89%893$82,027$288,700$223 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Robesonia, PA 19551 89%869$90,504$264,200$183 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Doylestown, OH 44230 89%588$79,526$229,000$189 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Munroe Falls, OH 44262 89%594$81,214$250,800$158 smaller
Canal Fulton, OH 44614 89%596$83,671$208,900$205 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Syracuse, IN 46567 89%392$77,103$239,700$338 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Saint Clair, MI 48079 89%501$79,891$293,000$179 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.