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 Loyalton, CA 96118

Loyalton: median income $54,167, home value $243,800, $229/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
State Road, NC 28676 92%2,138$60,833$242,600$191 larger
Del Norte, CO 81132 92%758$55,000$209,500$235 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger
Milbridge, ME 04658 91%2,658$60,536$240,400$262 Very close on everything we compare
Machiasport, ME 04655 90%2,679$60,000$177,100$265 cheaper homes ($67K less)
North Clarendon, VT 05759 89%2,424$58,150$209,100$199 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Lake Preston, SD 57249 88%1,213$63,182$193,300— cheaper homes ($51K less)
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 87%2,385$56,771$183,900$255 cheaper homes ($60K less) · older homes
Montezuma, IA 50171 87%1,453$65,000$216,000$269 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Conover, WI 54519 87%1,619$59,628$271,600$271 pricier homes ($28K more) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Saint Germain, WI 54558 87%1,607$59,718$261,000$345 larger
Lubec, ME 04652 86%2,694$52,083$187,800$221 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 6 min longer commute
New Lebanon, NY 12125 86%2,417$55,625$275,900$211 pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Harborcreek, PA 16421 86%2,091$64,091$224,200$184 larger
Huntsville, OH 43324 86%1,914$56,466$256,500$254 larger · younger residents
Burwell, NE 68823 86%1,113$61,974$174,100— cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents
Eads, CO 81036 86%951$59,868$173,300— cheaper homes ($71K less)
Antonito, CO 81120 86%788$47,546$188,200$182 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 6 min longer commute
Deer Isle, ME 04627 85%2,626$61,703$299,500$278 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Monterey, VA 24465 85%2,164$61,379$202,500$357 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Greenbush, MI 48738 85%1,905$63,462$193,900$231 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents
Crosby, MN 56441 85%1,398$50,298$208,700$209 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Council, ID 83612 85%402$54,810$309,600$257 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · older residents
South Bend, WA 98586 85%516$50,893$261,000$213 more renters
Ione, WA 99139 85%642$52,404$274,100$143 pricier homes ($30K more)
Colebrook, NH 03576 84%2,480$52,682$214,900$204 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger

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.