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 Lakeside, OR 97449

Lakeside: median income $66,000, home value $316,700, $272/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gravois Mills, MO 65037 94%1,666$66,360$284,100$256 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Mears, MI 49436 92%1,869$67,279$255,000$285 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Holcombe, WI 54745 92%1,623$67,891$255,200$252 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Austin, CO 81410 92%902$67,826$366,700$213 pricier homes ($50K more) · smaller
Valley, WA 99181 91%440$63,661$267,600$218 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Shell Knob, MO 65747 89%1,673$55,060$289,900$250 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Ocean Park, WA 98640 89%202$65,735$355,400$302 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger
Siren, WI 54872 88%1,558$60,787$233,200$258 cheaper homes ($84K less) · younger residents
Whitehall, MT 59759 88%611$60,571$353,900$335 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · younger residents
Roach, MO 65787 88%1,666$62,917$314,500$254 smaller · younger residents
Hagerman, ID 83332 88%470$64,792$226,200$250 cheaper homes ($91K less) · younger residents
Kooskia, ID 83539 88%439$57,885$347,500$260 pricier homes ($31K more) · less walkable
Brinnon, WA 98320 88%289$55,893$285,200$399 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Tamworth, NH 03886 87%2,595$74,450$368,200$274 pricier homes ($52K more)
Drummond Island, MI 49726 87%1,968$67,232$273,200— cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller
Walker, MN 56484 87%1,448$67,019$311,200$272 younger residents
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 87%1,671$78,750$335,700$286 younger residents
Pittsburg, NH 03592 86%2,564$61,094$279,500$293 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Arapahoe, NC 28510 86%2,564$58,839$264,100$240 cheaper homes ($53K less) · younger residents
Trego, WI 54888 86%1,582$63,971$240,500$249 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Mcgregor, MN 55760 86%1,510$59,474$274,600$276 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Ahwahnee, CA 93601 86%486$76,555$434,900$241 pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 85%2,233$69,057$313,500$292 larger · younger residents
Phelps, WI 54554 85%1,714$63,750$247,300$289 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Hackensack, MN 56452 85%1,452$62,941$352,700$300 pricier homes ($36K more) · more single-family 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.