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 Lyman, WY 82937

Lyman: median income $98,000, home value $254,500, $187/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lisbon, ME 04250 93%2,029$84,028$257,700$200 Very close on everything we compare
Gold Hill, NC 28071 92%1,661$93,354$283,100$239 pricier homes ($29K more)
Hopkins, MI 49328 91%1,260$94,340$232,500$217 Very close on everything we compare
Stonewall, LA 71078 91%1,103$86,042$246,400$179 larger
Johnson Creek, WI 53038 90%1,104$96,127$327,400$184 pricier homes ($73K more)
Alburtis, PA 18011 89%1,800$104,449$296,300$206 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
Eden, MD 21822 89%1,839$84,479$277,700$189 Very close on everything we compare
Haw River, NC 27258 89%1,697$78,079$225,400$189 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Crittenden, KY 41030 89%1,365$83,488$248,300$195 larger
Beecher, IL 60401 89%1,173$97,569$260,500$164 larger
Port Deposit, MD 21904 88%1,791$88,136$333,500$236 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger
Marshall, WI 53559 88%1,090$93,571$315,300$211 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Fall River, WI 53932 88%1,090$85,781$309,400$162 pricier homes ($55K more)
Hobbs, NM 88242 88%707$90,000$260,200$198 larger
North Oxford, MA 01537 87%1,964$102,956$353,500$232 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Levant, ME 04456 87%2,076$86,071$268,500$207 more single-family homes
Stillwater, NY 12170 87%1,865$102,857$271,600$267 larger · more single-family homes
Laceys Spring, AL 35754 87%1,369$96,071$201,800$159 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Franklin, TX 77856 87%1,046$94,785$318,400$231 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
Etters, PA 17319 86%1,744$99,778$236,900$179 larger
Bunker Hill, WV 25413 86%1,694$100,556$280,100$190 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · newer homes
Falling Waters, WV 25419 86%1,698$89,284$281,600$180 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Mount Airy, GA 30563 86%1,527$84,561$240,500$184 larger · more single-family homes
Nicholson, GA 30565 86%1,544$75,179$266,600$174 Very close on everything we compare
West Branch, IA 52358 86%980$91,686$240,300$152 Very close on everything we compare

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.