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 Golden, MO 65658

Golden: median income $51,641, home value $321,800, $215/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dillard, GA 30537 87%588$50,000$318,500$215 Very close on everything we compare
Lovingston, VA 22949 86%816$52,679$272,700$240 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 7 min longer commute
Raphine, VA 24472 86%797$51,429$251,000$268 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
Weston, CO 81091 85%620$50,179$351,900$218 pricier homes ($30K more) · younger residents
Lottsburg, VA 22511 84%945$48,988$342,600$252 more single-family homes · older homes
Walker, MN 56484 84%729$67,019$311,200$272 larger
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 84%1,041$46,813$374,400$280 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger
Port Orford, OR 97465 84%1,686$43,777$342,100$273 older homes
Arapahoe, NC 28510 83%947$58,839$264,100$240 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 83%672$62,841$282,200$246 cheaper homes ($40K less) · more homeowners
Mercer, WI 54547 83%689$63,500$306,600$296 more homeowners
Cable, WI 54821 83%678$57,813$321,400$268 6 min longer commute · older homes
Eureka Springs, AR 72631 83%12$56,678$259,300$169 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
La Veta, CO 81055 83%634$55,080$398,600$259 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents · older homes
Austin, CO 81410 83%799$67,826$366,700$213 pricier homes ($45K more)
Crawford, CO 81415 83%779$59,141$330,900$333 larger · older homes
Hackensack, MN 56452 82%722$62,941$352,700$300 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger
Philipsburg, MT 59858 82%1,217$56,719$380,000$316 pricier homes ($58K more) · older homes
Columbia, CA 95310 82%1,470$54,697$434,800$255 pricier homes ($113K more) · more apartments and townhomes · older homes
Oriental, NC 28571 81%953$63,393$372,500$257 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · more homeowners
Penrose, NC 28766 81%622$57,708$307,000$252 younger residents
Mountain Rest, SC 29664 81%601$51,705$241,800$316 cheaper homes ($80K less) · younger residents
Conover, WI 54519 81%693$59,628$271,600$271 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older homes
Akeley, MN 56433 81%723$58,889$228,500$185 cheaper homes ($93K less) · more homeowners
Bigfork, MN 56628 81%773$61,250$244,700$189 cheaper homes ($77K less)

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.