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 Big Lake, TX 76932

Big Lake: median income $57,813, home value $171,500, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dorchester, WI 54425 89%1,116$63,424$175,000$101 smaller · less walkable
Neah Bay, WA 98357 88%1,679$55,250$133,600— cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
Pierce City, MO 65723 87%577$49,695$165,100$90 less walkable
East Flat Rock, NC 28726 86%1,133$54,152$198,400$237 pricier homes ($27K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Purdy, MO 65734 86%573$56,744$197,200$131 pricier homes ($26K more) · less walkable
Lone Grove, OK 73443 86%313$58,906$184,500$135 less walkable
American Falls, ID 83211 86%996$65,483$209,200$168 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Jemez Pueblo, NM 87024 86%416$60,727$168,400— older residents
Pantego, NC 27860 85%1,456$62,083$145,300— cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · less walkable
Fort Branch, IN 47648 85%921$65,000$213,000$168 pricier homes ($42K more)
Wolf Point, MT 59201 85%1,173$53,311$127,100— cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Hennessey, OK 73742 85%385$70,538$171,800$92 less walkable
Roland, OK 74954 85%491$58,397$157,500$124 larger · less walkable
Teachey, NC 28464 84%1,378$60,130$173,800$195 7 min longer commute
Alamo, TN 38001 84%773$53,438$159,200$157 older residents · 6 min longer commute
Fennimore, WI 53809 84%997$65,568$192,500$127 Very close on everything we compare
Colby, WI 54421 84%1,112$60,820$194,500$114 older residents · less walkable
Mahnomen, MN 56557 84%1,140$57,731$143,800$82 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents · less walkable
Gooding, ID 83330 84%1,074$60,842$254,900$235 pricier homes ($83K more) · larger
Warden, WA 98857 84%1,420$61,860$213,300$225 pricier homes ($42K more) · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Boscobel, WI 53805 83%1,004$60,870$164,100$131 larger · older residents
Cass Lake, MN 56633 83%1,160$67,981$166,400$105 less walkable
Berwick, LA 70342 83%624$51,580$212,400$154 pricier homes ($41K more)
Eunice, NM 88231 83%118$51,417$128,900$122 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Hanover, IN 47243 82%1,037$65,197$183,900$181 larger · less walkable

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.