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 Lamy, NM 87540

Lamy: median income $52,500, home value $729,700, $400/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sperryville, VA 22740 81%1,538$65,938$469,400$340 cheaper homes ($260K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Philipsburg, MT 59858 74%844$56,719$380,000$316 cheaper homes ($350K less) · younger residents
Yachats, OR 97498 73%1,138$67,188$511,500$405 cheaper homes ($218K less) · larger · more homeowners
Mendocino, CA 95460 70%1,013$73,576$708,200$654 larger · more homeowners
La Veta, CO 81055 68%152$55,080$398,600$259 cheaper homes ($331K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Cannon Beach, OR 97110 68%1,185$68,500$790,400$624 pricier homes ($61K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Rangeley, ME 04970 66%1,957$60,882$422,500$350 cheaper homes ($307K less) · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners
Somers, MT 59932 65%972$60,152$768,600$332 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · 15 min longer commute
New Buffalo, MI 49117 64%1,123$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($242K less) · larger · younger residents
Williams, OR 97544 64%1,042$55,583$563,700$298 cheaper homes ($166K less) · larger · younger residents
Dubois, WY 82513 63%594$66,332$382,600$330 cheaper homes ($347K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Lyle, WA 98635 62%1,070$61,448$491,900$270 cheaper homes ($238K less) · larger · younger residents
Lottsburg, VA 22511 61%1,633$48,988$342,600$252 cheaper homes ($387K less) · more homeowners
Columbia, CA 95310 61%820$54,697$434,800$255 cheaper homes ($295K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Port Orford, OR 97465 61%1,113$43,777$342,100$273 cheaper homes ($388K less) · larger · more homeowners
Red Lodge, MT 59068 60%697$80,962$438,700$366 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($291K less) · larger
South Fork, CO 81154 60%159$77,177$511,300$339 cheaper homes ($218K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Highlands, NC 28741 59%1,280$70,392$631,000$625 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Blue Lake, CA 95525 59%1,044$57,379$478,600$224 cheaper homes ($251K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Hillsdale, NY 12529 58%1,794$70,750$384,600$334 cheaper homes ($345K less) · larger · younger residents
Garden Valley, ID 83622 58%795$65,625$576,800$332 cheaper homes ($153K less) · larger · more homeowners
Cazadero, CA 95421 58%975$78,906$633,400$420 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($96K less) · 11 min longer commute
Joseph, OR 97846 58%905$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($347K less) · larger · younger residents
Kinsale, VA 22488 57%1,629$45,313$431,300$232 cheaper homes ($298K less) · 9 min longer commute · more homeowners
Dillard, GA 30537 57%1,275$50,000$318,500$215 cheaper homes ($411K less) · more homeowners · 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.