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 Lafayette, OR 97127

Lafayette: median income $95,089, home value $413,300, $289/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gardendale, TX 79758 91%1,438$102,560$390,700— smaller
Ault, CO 80610 91%981$92,153$424,800$283 Very close on everything we compare
Dacono, CO 80514 90%988$104,494$488,500$267 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger
Silt, CO 81652 89%881$101,038$530,000$310 pricier homes ($117K more)
Keenesburg, CO 80643 88%1,010$97,766$474,900$232 pricier homes ($62K more)
Ione, CA 95640 88%491$97,000$450,500$280 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · older residents
Bealeton, VA 22712 87%2,346$103,618$412,900$248 larger
Sorrento, FL 32776 87%2,523$100,573$410,100$224 larger
Cross Plains, TN 37049 87%1,976$90,048$368,800$315 cheaper homes ($45K less) · less walkable
Lindstrom, MN 55045 87%1,462$108,929$390,500$208 larger
Nooksack, WA 98276 87%257$97,159$524,300$291 pricier homes ($111K more) · smaller
Mccleary, WA 98557 87%123$78,594$369,300$278 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older homes
Clayton, DE 19938 85%2,425$99,596$381,000$196 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Saint Francis, MN 55070 85%1,437$108,750$328,500$189 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Foreston, MN 56330 85%1,417$84,519$278,300$272 cheaper homes ($135K less) · smaller
Trenton, TX 75490 85%1,636$92,500$361,500$190 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Hudson, CO 80642 85%1,001$105,225$620,000$247 pricier homes ($207K more)
Platteville, CO 80651 85%989$81,586$474,700$277 pricier homes ($61K more) · older residents
Wheatland, CA 95692 85%438$95,877$471,800$307 pricier homes ($59K more) · more renters
Trevor, WI 53179 84%1,738$94,460$305,800$221 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Lonsdale, MN 55046 84%1,447$95,912$359,000$176 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Jordan, MN 55352 84%1,434$112,070$414,300$200 larger
Watertown, MN 55388 84%1,419$99,375$356,900$191 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Santa Fe, TX 77517 84%1,873$88,567$314,100$194 cheaper homes ($99K less) · older residents
Strasburg, CO 80136 84%1,028$111,528$554,600$218 pricier homes ($141K more) · less walkable

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.