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 Isabella, CA 93240

Lake Isabella: median income $31,267, home value $221,000, $170/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fort Pierce, FL 34946 84%2,297$40,315$158,300$198 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Donaldsonville, LA 70346 83%1,633$35,280$176,900$131 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Grifton, NC 28530 80%2,291$37,361$151,300$178 cheaper homes ($70K less) · 7 min longer commute
Elliston, VA 24087 79%2,113$41,204$155,100$172 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller · newer homes
Stanton, KY 40380 79%1,914$37,734$135,100$156 cheaper homes ($86K less) · newer homes
Elizabethtown, NC 28337 78%2,238$36,227$186,600$147 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Van Buren, MO 63965 78%1,526$37,697$155,700$143 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
La Crosse, VA 23950 77%2,237$41,010$166,300$188 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Mount Hope, WV 25880 77%2,054$36,264$112,400$131 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Tunica, MS 38676 77%1,582$33,943$184,400$119 cheaper homes ($37K less) · older residents · more renters
Milan, NM 87021 77%596$40,129$128,100— cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Pamplico, SC 29583 76%2,193$34,931$114,100$154 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Ocala, FL 34475 76%2,149$30,174$222,000$161 larger · more renters · more walkable
Stevenson, AL 35772 76%1,832$39,313$143,500$137 cheaper homes ($78K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Lake Charles, LA 70615 76%1,511$40,047$140,400$123 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Forest City, NC 28043 75%2,047$42,276$175,400$153 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Whiteville, NC 28472 74%2,236$42,003$151,000$130 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
Bayboro, NC 28515 74%2,331$31,715$157,700$106 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · older residents
Lake Wales, FL 33853 74%2,217$44,474$209,300$144 larger · more renters
Winona, MS 38967 74%1,636$39,663$141,100— cheaper homes ($80K less) · more single-family homes
Salt Rock, WV 25559 73%1,994$34,727$131,300$181 cheaper homes ($90K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Hazlehurst, GA 31539 73%2,065$38,737$119,300$136 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · newer homes
Quincy, FL 32352 73%1,980$42,500$174,900$177 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 6 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Brent, AL 35034 73%1,786$36,002$158,400$117 cheaper homes ($63K less) · 11 min longer commute
Sneedville, TN 37869 73%1,955$39,331$160,100$168 cheaper homes ($61K less) · 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes

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.