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 Sheffield, MA 01257

Sheffield: median income $102,788, home value $441,000, $299/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newcastle, ME 04553 94%235$89,868$398,000$321 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Nobleboro, ME 04555 94%239$100,417$352,600$348 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Owls Head, ME 04854 90%255$87,325$413,300$379 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
West Sand Lake, NY 12196 89%39$110,889$317,300$241 cheaper homes ($124K less) · larger
Saratoga, WY 82331 89%1,710$95,610$363,800$206 cheaper homes ($77K less)
New Haven, VT 05472 88%139$92,537$378,000$217 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Germantown, NY 12526 88%26$97,679$485,000$361 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Galena, MD 21635 88%232$101,618$402,000$258 cheaper homes ($39K less) · 9 min longer commute
Mazomanie, WI 53560 88%836$98,409$358,000$228 cheaper homes ($83K less) · 7 min longer commute
Madison Lake, MN 56063 88%1,039$102,391$416,300$297 7 min longer commute
Paonia, CO 81428 88%1,801$75,799$432,700$279 lower income ($27K less) · larger
Spofford, NH 03462 87%74$115,313$396,200$210 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Eliot, ME 03903 87%149$101,522$498,900$363 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger
Phippsburg, ME 04562 87%213$107,833$335,800$423 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Ghent, NY 12075 87%20$98,047$422,900$253 8 min longer commute
Lake George, NY 12845 87%93$100,774$355,900$325 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Oldenburg, IN 47036 87%649$98,300$413,700— cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · newer homes
Black Earth, WI 53515 86%834$92,625$361,300$218 cheaper homes ($80K less) · 7 min longer commute
Spicer, MN 56288 86%1,095$111,021$422,300$208 larger
Blue Hill, ME 04614 85%289$80,377$399,500$276 cheaper homes ($42K less) · newer homes
Salisbury, VT 05769 85%125$99,792$316,000$230 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller · older homes
Mount Crawford, VA 22841 85%390$92,862$370,500$207 cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents
Waterloo, NE 68069 85%1,182$111,974$365,100$254 cheaper homes ($76K less) · 8 min longer commute
Palmer Lake, CO 80133 85%1,658$120,625$482,500$254 pricier homes ($42K more)
Cushing, ME 04563 84%244$83,500$409,800$376 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 5 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.