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 Austin, CO 81410

Austin: median income $67,826, home value $366,700, $213/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Roach, MO 65787 95%815$62,917$314,500$254 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Lakeside, OR 97449 92%902$66,000$316,700$272 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Drummond Island, MI 49726 91%1,327$67,232$273,200— cheaper homes ($94K less)
Cushing, MN 56443 91%849$71,310$341,200$201 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
Ahwahnee, CA 93601 91%646$76,555$434,900$241 pricier homes ($68K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Tamworth, NH 03886 90%1,920$74,450$368,200$274 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 90%1,054$62,841$282,200$246 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Battle Lake, MN 56515 90%810$73,750$398,500$251 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Bigfork, MN 56628 90%946$61,250$244,700$189 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Lakehead, CA 96051 90%779$69,688$360,000$170 6 min longer commute
Warwick, MD 21912 89%1,716$69,868$391,700$259 pricier homes ($25K more) · 6 min longer commute
Holcombe, WI 54745 89%970$67,891$255,200$252 cheaper homes ($112K less) · larger
Trego, WI 54888 89%957$63,971$240,500$249 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Hackensack, MN 56452 89%884$62,941$352,700$300 Very close on everything we compare
Dent, MN 56528 89%818$79,500$319,300$248 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Ottertail, MN 56571 89%821$85,865$363,100$291 Very close on everything we compare
Mackay, ID 83251 89%458$73,482$366,900$286 Very close on everything we compare
Cobbs Creek, VA 23035 88%1,710$68,438$441,000$198 pricier homes ($74K more)
Mears, MI 49436 88%1,164$67,279$255,000$285 cheaper homes ($112K less)
Climax Springs, MO 65324 88%813$52,969$311,300$235 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Scroggins, TX 75480 88%817$73,920$299,600$170 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Conover, WI 54519 87%1,075$59,628$271,600$271 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Mercer, WI 54547 87%1,042$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Birchwood, WI 54817 87%960$83,036$275,000$229 cheaper homes ($92K less) · larger
Apple River, IL 61001 87%968$77,841$300,300$182 cheaper homes ($66K 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.