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 Lower Lake, CA 95457

Lower Lake: median income $63,594, home value $488,800, $241/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gold Hill, OR 97525 89%245$72,025$450,200$246 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Cathlamet, WA 98612 89%506$59,583$429,600$318 cheaper homes ($59K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Whitehall, MT 59759 88%719$60,571$353,900$335 cheaper homes ($135K less)
Oakland, OR 97462 87%318$68,507$400,400$183 cheaper homes ($88K less) · more homeowners
Randle, WA 98377 87%530$56,167$424,300$397 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Hotchkiss, CO 81419 86%798$59,735$364,200$324 cheaper homes ($125K less) · more homeowners
Alstead, NH 03602 85%2,598$70,455$279,400$216 cheaper homes ($209K less)
Darby, MT 59829 85%652$63,650$437,900$315 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Graford, TX 76449 85%1,414$72,813$398,700$299 cheaper homes ($90K less) · 5 min longer commute
Buchanan Dam, TX 78609 85%1,476$64,418$319,700$189 cheaper homes ($169K less) · smaller · older residents
Morton, WA 98356 85%530$60,060$308,500$279 cheaper homes ($180K less)
Edinburg, VA 22824 84%2,343$63,594$318,200$198 cheaper homes ($171K less) · larger · younger residents
Urbanna, VA 23175 84%2,470$66,858$369,000$215 cheaper homes ($120K less) · smaller · older residents
Townsend, MT 59644 84%762$68,811$361,500$300 cheaper homes ($127K less) · newer homes
Superior, MT 59872 84%691$55,926$396,600$387 cheaper homes ($92K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Cheshire, OR 97419 84%367$80,234$568,900$255 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Newport, WA 99156 84%696$65,271$378,400$334 cheaper homes ($110K less) · larger · younger residents
Saluda, VA 23149 83%2,471$70,743$282,500$206 cheaper homes ($206K less)
Clarksville, VA 23927 83%2,387$70,938$295,500$198 cheaper homes ($193K less) · larger
Mcgregor, MN 55760 83%1,568$59,474$274,600$276 cheaper homes ($214K less)
Cascade, MT 59421 83%797$78,125$377,900$267 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Norwood, CO 81423 83%775$62,125$425,000$292 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Carson, WA 98610 83%475$72,773$501,600$385 more walkable
Cedaredge, CO 81413 82%788$58,465$355,800$245 cheaper homes ($133K less) · larger
Yoncalla, OR 97499 82%328$58,958$325,700$205 cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller

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.