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 Blue Lake, CA 95525

Blue Lake: median income $57,379, home value $478,600, $224/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
North Conway, NH 03860 78%2,651$71,759$401,500$281 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Cape Charles, VA 23310 78%2,549$62,500$377,300$318 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Elk Rapids, MI 49629 76%1,948$65,302$394,600$333 cheaper homes ($84K less) · more homeowners
Kilmarnock, VA 22482 74%2,518$47,308$355,600$202 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger · older residents
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 74%2,565$63,464$346,700$288 cheaper homes ($132K less) · larger · more homeowners
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 73%2,726$56,500$388,100$354 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Ludlow, VT 05149 72%2,586$64,191$365,300$300 cheaper homes ($113K less) · larger · younger residents
Funkstown, MD 21734 72%2,408$61,392$277,800$201 cheaper homes ($201K less) · younger residents · older homes
Okoboji, IA 51355 72%1,475$72,262$421,100$340 cheaper homes ($58K less) · more homeowners · more apartments and townhomes
Philipsburg, MT 59858 72%646$56,719$380,000$316 cheaper homes ($99K less) · 6 min longer commute · more homeowners
Red River, NM 87558 72%1,033$49,435$430,200$250 cheaper homes ($48K less) · newer homes
Patagonia, AZ 85624 71%979$56,053$397,500$147 cheaper homes ($81K less) · 12 min longer commute
South Bend, WA 98586 71%395$50,893$261,000$213 cheaper homes ($218K less) · younger residents
Southwest Harbor, ME 04679 70%2,781$59,205$428,500$456 cheaper homes ($50K less) · younger residents
Port Orford, OR 97465 70%129$43,777$342,100$273 cheaper homes ($137K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Joseph, OR 97846 70%454$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($95K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
Wilmington, VT 05363 69%2,587$68,843$284,200$196 cheaper homes ($194K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214 69%2,417$62,188$383,000$184 cheaper homes ($96K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Dubois, WY 82513 69%749$66,332$382,600$330 cheaper homes ($96K less) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
La Veta, CO 81055 68%1,033$55,080$398,600$259 cheaper homes ($80K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 68%323$66,106$375,000$372 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · more homeowners
Ilwaco, WA 98624 68%372$83,214$364,100$213 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($115K less) · younger residents
Thomaston, ME 04861 67%2,743$56,435$271,700$237 cheaper homes ($207K less) · larger · more homeowners
Sister Bay, WI 54234 67%1,863$74,583$456,300$339 more homeowners · newer homes
Bandon, OR 97411 67%152$50,993$455,800$358 larger · more homeowners · newer 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.