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.

Reset

Towns most like Lyons, OR 97358

Lyons: median income $95,391, home value $491,500, $325/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Grapeview, WA 98546 93%179$97,159$494,500$336 6 min longer commute
Vergas, MN 56587 90%1,294$88,000$367,600$290 cheaper homes ($124K less) · smaller
Thayne, WY 83127 90%590$87,743$482,700$325 larger · younger residents
Mokelumne Hill, CA 95245 88%457$84,405$482,000$268 5 min shorter commute
Horseshoe Bend, ID 83629 87%322$72,500$398,000$296 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Copperopolis, CA 95228 87%481$107,899$484,500$286 larger · younger residents
Florence, MT 59833 86%430$94,097$551,600$333 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · younger residents
New Hampton, NH 03256 85%2,484$87,917$382,000$353 cheaper homes ($110K less) · younger residents
Street, MD 21154 85%2,360$97,658$455,400$257 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Zirconia, NC 28790 85%2,200$97,042$455,000$259 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Mc Clellanville, SC 29458 85%2,419$86,431$370,900$337 cheaper homes ($121K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Gordon, TX 76453 85%1,546$99,293$350,000$301 cheaper homes ($142K less) · smaller
Hydesville, CA 95547 85%300$96,827$481,100$358 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Greenwood, CA 95635 85%413$101,250$485,200$250 smaller · younger residents
Washington, NH 03280 84%2,474$90,096$355,200$289 cheaper homes ($136K less) · smaller · older homes
Star Tannery, VA 22654 84%2,275$74,721$417,200$296 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Lanexa, VA 23089 84%2,400$108,802$400,600$252 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Crosslake, MN 56442 84%1,373$79,896$479,800$349 6 min shorter commute
Hermosa, SD 57744 84%959$106,250$386,800$270 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Kiowa, CO 80117 84%1,001$115,673$667,100$265 pricier homes ($176K more) · younger residents
Pilot Hill, CA 95664 84%418$117,901$506,500$302 smaller · older residents
Greenfield, NH 03047 83%2,489$103,603$350,300$298 cheaper homes ($141K less) · younger residents · older homes
Alton, NH 03809 83%2,507$106,397$387,500$270 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · younger residents
Graford, TX 76449 83%1,531$72,813$398,700$299 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Divide, CO 80814 83%978$80,500$466,800$254 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.