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 Lake Havasu City, AZ 86404

Lake Havasu City: median income $72,910, home value $461,600, $319/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Plains, MT 59859 85%893$64,846$429,200$278 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Sequim, WA 98382 84%1,039$74,189$493,900$308 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Mesquite, NV 89027 83%156$71,574$362,400$229 cheaper homes ($99K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 82%1,723$64,681$378,500$285 cheaper homes ($83K less) · smaller
Blairsville, GA 30512 81%1,717$66,642$313,300$205 cheaper homes ($148K less) · 5 min longer commute
Carson City, NV 89705 81%434$79,901$470,200$351 smaller · younger residents
Brookings, OR 97415 81%747$69,152$394,800$316 cheaper homes ($67K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Vero Beach, FL 32967 80%2,049$78,058$423,500$243 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Florence, OR 97439 80%834$61,982$410,900$307 cheaper homes ($51K less) · more walkable
Beaufort, NC 28516 79%2,130$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($146K less) · smaller
Loudon, TN 37774 79%1,690$87,718$365,100$253 cheaper homes ($97K less) · 8 min longer commute
Montrose, CO 81403 79%442$80,893$515,300$311 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · younger residents
Paradise, CA 95969 79%538$69,067$455,500$287 smaller · 10 min longer commute
Gold Beach, OR 97444 79%768$64,920$402,700$296 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · older homes
Aitkin, MN 56431 77%1,356$67,828$295,400$213 cheaper homes ($166K less) · smaller · older homes
Eagle River, WI 54521 76%1,528$74,071$305,100$257 cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller · older homes
Minocqua, WI 54548 76%1,505$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller · older homes
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 76%947$75,237$463,300$284 younger residents
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 75%1,589$70,212$297,300$257 cheaper homes ($164K less) · younger residents · older homes
Victor, MT 59875 75%818$63,036$525,500$297 pricier homes ($64K more) · smaller · younger residents
Otis Orchards, WA 99027 75%920$74,718$444,500$228 smaller · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Llano, TX 78643 74%951$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Calabash, NC 28467 73%2,032$75,341$308,600$184 cheaper homes ($153K less) · older residents
Flat Rock, NC 28731 73%1,802$66,309$402,300$253 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Little River, SC 29566 73%2,028$64,878$308,700$191 cheaper homes ($153K less) · 6 min longer commute · more apartments and townhomes

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.