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 La Veta, CO 81055

La Veta: median income $55,080, home value $398,600, $259/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Port Orford, OR 97465 87%1,086$43,777$342,100$273 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Dillard, GA 30537 84%1,221$50,000$318,500$215 cheaper homes ($80K less) · more walkable
Golden, MO 65658 83%634$51,641$321,800$215 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Lottsburg, VA 22511 82%1,554$48,988$342,600$252 cheaper homes ($56K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Columbia, CA 95310 82%838$54,697$434,800$255 pricier homes ($36K more) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Blue Eye, MO 65611 81%649$59,866$298,100$189 cheaper homes ($101K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Philipsburg, MT 59858 80%741$56,719$380,000$316 younger residents
Sperryville, VA 22740 79%1,455$65,938$469,400$340 pricier homes ($71K more) · more single-family homes
Dubois, WY 82513 79%481$66,332$382,600$330 younger residents
Tamworth, NH 03886 78%1,810$74,450$368,200$274 cheaper homes ($30K less) · younger residents
Kilmarnock, VA 22482 78%1,563$47,308$355,600$202 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Battle Lake, MN 56515 78%774$73,750$398,500$251 larger · younger residents
Mercer, WI 54547 77%974$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($92K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Mackay, ID 83251 77%629$73,482$366,900$286 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents
Yachats, OR 97498 77%1,096$67,188$511,500$405 pricier homes ($113K more) · younger residents
Cedar Key, FL 32625 76%1,392$60,298$322,700$279 cheaper homes ($76K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Seeley Lake, MT 59868 76%793$51,490$391,600$403 more homeowners · newer homes
Oriental, NC 28571 75%1,583$63,393$372,500$257 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Climax Springs, MO 65324 75%662$52,969$311,300$235 cheaper homes ($87K less) · more homeowners
Clarkdale, AZ 86324 75%434$46,813$374,400$280 larger · younger residents · more walkable
Frankfort, MI 49635 74%1,094$72,422$366,700$263 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · younger residents
Cable, WI 54821 74%930$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($77K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Lincoln, MT 59639 74%759$57,778$371,700$418 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · younger residents
Freedom, NH 03836 73%1,820$66,136$389,000$344 younger residents · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Greenville, ME 04441 73%1,899$64,789$291,900$361 cheaper homes ($107K less) · younger residents · more 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.