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 Lanesborough, MA 01237

Lanesborough: median income $90,898, home value $303,700, $274/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Thornton, NH 03285 94%125$90,022$351,900$254 pricier homes ($48K more)
Bellaire, MI 49615 86%622$79,469$292,300$251 larger
High Rolls Mountain Park, NM 88325 86%1,886$97,955$256,500$297 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Chestertown, NY 12817 85%83$93,393$327,600$316 more single-family homes
Egg Harbor, WI 54209 85%721$77,188$386,700$335 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · older residents
Elkhart Lake, WI 53020 84%748$89,155$330,900$248 pricier homes ($27K more)
Orrington, ME 04474 83%269$94,556$309,000$192 larger · more single-family homes
Lakeside Marblehead, OH 43440 83%495$74,818$297,100$317 larger · older residents
Cornish, NH 03745 82%81$91,821$296,000$292 5 min longer commute · more single-family homes
East Berlin, CT 06023 82%68$100,317$342,600$242 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · more renters
Pentwater, MI 49449 82%668$80,917$307,300$278 older residents · more single-family homes
Harbor Springs, MI 49740 82%620$89,250$363,500$312 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Campton, NH 03223 81%121$118,534$356,400$266 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($53K more) · more single-family homes
Kingfield, ME 04947 81%228$70,104$251,900$352 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Marmora, NJ 08223 81%237$107,131$420,300$272 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger · younger residents
Harmony, PA 16037 81%375$93,077$348,200$205 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Enfield, NH 03748 80%95$95,089$388,500$290 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger · older residents
Mc Henry, MD 21541 80%380$82,955$342,500$258 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller · younger residents
Mc Gaheysville, VA 22840 80%407$95,667$382,500$257 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger · younger residents
Wentworth, SD 57075 80%1,195$106,763$426,800$287 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Saratoga, WY 82331 80%1,711$95,610$363,800$206 pricier homes ($60K more) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Manchester, ME 04351 79%211$92,031$299,600$210 younger residents · more single-family homes
Bristol, ME 04539 79%212$96,111$346,900$294 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Lincolnville, ME 04849 79%242$80,377$360,600$329 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Townshend, VT 05353 79%47$94,917$278,000$220 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute

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.