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 Lakeside, MT 59922

Lakeside: median income $87,237, home value $657,500, $298/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sublimity, OR 97385 90%463$84,796$494,600$308 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger
Johnson City, TX 78636 89%1,484$72,663$532,600$263 cheaper homes ($125K less) · larger
Blue Hill, ME 04614 85%2,163$80,377$399,500$276 cheaper homes ($258K less)
Manson, WA 98831 85%274$82,650$659,500$341 larger · younger residents
Palisade, CO 81526 84%682$87,500$501,800$337 cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Sutter Creek, CA 95685 84%741$83,878$569,100$283 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger · older homes
Mount Hood Parkdale, OR 97041 84%390$82,679$705,600$416 pricier homes ($48K more) · younger residents · older homes
Buena Vista, CO 81211 83%752$88,083$677,400$409 larger
Carson City, NV 89705 83%679$79,901$470,200$351 cheaper homes ($187K less) · larger
Verdi, NV 89439 82%654$101,250$762,500$359 pricier homes ($105K more) · younger residents
Jacksonville, OR 97530 82%588$89,239$617,400$313 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger
Murphys, CA 95247 81%751$76,333$537,400$306 cheaper homes ($120K less) · larger · older residents
South Fork, CO 81154 80%811$77,177$511,300$339 cheaper homes ($146K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Dolores, CO 81323 80%785$75,393$392,000$291 cheaper homes ($266K less) · larger
Montrose, CO 81403 80%738$80,893$515,300$311 cheaper homes ($142K less) · larger · more homeowners
Moyie Springs, ID 83845 80%103$72,695$373,700$325 cheaper homes ($284K less)
South Beach, OR 97366 80%526$85,577$541,400$366 cheaper homes ($116K less) · more homeowners
Blue Mounds, WI 53517 79%1,225$84,722$445,000$193 cheaper homes ($213K less) · younger residents
Cornville, AZ 86325 79%926$74,679$442,800$272 cheaper homes ($215K less) · larger · more homeowners
Trout Lake, WA 98650 79%371$76,607$730,300$404 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 78%2,068$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($109K less) · larger · older residents
New Haven, VT 05472 78%1,963$92,537$378,000$217 cheaper homes ($280K less) · older homes
Horse Shoe, NC 28742 78%1,836$99,007$414,600$237 cheaper homes ($243K less)
Oxford, FL 34484 78%2,159$92,582$433,300$198 cheaper homes ($224K less) · larger
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 78%828$84,270$486,000$342 cheaper homes ($172K less) · 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.