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 86406

Lake Havasu City: median income $77,506, home value $476,600, $310/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Loudon, TN 37774 81%1,680$87,718$365,100$253 cheaper homes ($112K less) · 6 min longer commute
Carson City, NV 89705 81%449$79,901$470,200$351 smaller
Sequim, WA 98382 81%1,052$74,189$493,900$308 Very close on everything we compare
Blairsville, GA 30512 80%1,707$66,642$313,300$205 cheaper homes ($163K less)
Plains, MT 59859 79%903$64,846$429,200$278 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Vero Beach, FL 32967 77%2,037$78,058$423,500$243 cheaper homes ($53K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Montrose, CO 81403 77%438$80,893$515,300$311 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · younger residents
Aitkin, MN 56431 76%1,354$67,828$295,400$213 cheaper homes ($181K less) · smaller
Fredericksburg, TX 78624 76%934$75,237$463,300$284 younger residents
Paradise, CA 95969 76%553$69,067$455,500$287 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Port Saint Joe, FL 32456 75%1,710$64,681$378,500$285 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller
Eagle River, WI 54521 75%1,525$74,071$305,100$257 cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller · older homes
Beaufort, NC 28516 74%2,121$66,057$315,400$270 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Port Charlotte, FL 33954 74%1,960$78,288$332,600$194 cheaper homes ($144K less) · smaller · younger residents
Minocqua, WI 54548 74%1,501$69,569$336,400$288 cheaper homes ($140K less) · smaller · older homes
Corvallis, MT 59828 74%822$80,294$544,500$335 pricier homes ($68K more) · smaller · younger residents
Berlin, MD 21811 73%2,167$90,082$388,900$265 cheaper homes ($88K less) · 6 min longer commute
Victor, MT 59875 73%828$63,036$525,500$297 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Llano, TX 78643 73%938$68,365$362,600$239 cheaper homes ($114K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Minden, NV 89423 73%444$108,750$688,300$361 higher income ($31K more) · pricier homes ($212K more) · smaller
Brookings, OR 97415 73%762$69,152$394,800$316 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Florence, OR 97439 73%848$61,982$410,900$307 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Grants Pass, OR 97527 73%743$66,975$429,700$264 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents
Mesquite, NV 89027 72%165$71,574$362,400$229 cheaper homes ($114K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Otis Orchards, WA 99027 72%930$74,718$444,500$228 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · more homeowners

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.