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 Lowell, OR 97452

Lowell: median income $97,669, home value $439,300, $334/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Entiat, WA 98822 89%288$86,103$383,600$340 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Zirconia, NC 28790 88%2,206$97,042$455,000$259 larger · more single-family homes
Three Forks, MT 59752 88%566$86,767$461,100$334 larger
Kersey, CO 80644 88%964$97,847$409,100$276 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older homes
Idaho City, ID 83631 88%352$80,714$409,800$264 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Loudon, NH 03307 87%2,525$107,226$365,400$268 cheaper homes ($74K less) · larger
Ossipee, NH 03864 87%2,533$104,485$328,200$284 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Clinton, MT 59825 87%482$90,192$369,900$513 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Oakville, WA 98568 87%203$84,531$426,200$315 larger
Fort Calhoun, NE 68023 86%1,363$116,287$389,600$333 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Burton, TX 77835 86%1,717$109,917$394,700$281 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Rosanky, TX 78953 86%1,696$83,438$325,400$277 cheaper homes ($114K less) · smaller · less walkable
Brookfield, MA 01506 85%2,521$81,250$341,900$267 cheaper homes ($97K less) · larger
Barnstead, NH 03218 85%2,533$112,500$346,900$335 cheaper homes ($92K less) · younger residents
Voluntown, CT 06384 85%2,548$106,518$354,900$311 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Audubon, MN 56511 85%1,309$89,875$401,900$261 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Collbran, CO 81624 85%831$91,739$472,600$431 pricier homes ($33K more) · more single-family homes
Llano, CA 93544 85%704$89,792$406,500$229 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller
Plymouth, CA 95669 85%388$89,609$582,900$291 pricier homes ($144K more)
Elysian, MN 56028 84%1,436$93,375$338,000$253 cheaper homes ($101K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Whitewood, SD 57793 84%947$87,351$368,800$219 cheaper homes ($71K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Cascade, MT 59421 84%582$78,125$377,900$267 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 84%1,604$78,750$335,700$286 cheaper homes ($104K less) · older residents
Mc Queeney, TX 78123 84%1,678$97,553$238,500$383 cheaper homes ($201K less)
Lockeford, CA 95237 84%407$87,117$490,500$291 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger · younger residents

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.