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 Brookfield, MA 01506

Brookfield: median income $81,250, home value $341,900, $267/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cascade, MT 59421 93%1,954$78,125$377,900$267 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Alfred, ME 04002 92%114$84,537$352,100$293 larger
Casco, ME 04015 92%145$69,313$355,500$316 Very close on everything we compare
Moncure, NC 27559 92%589$74,490$385,000$233 pricier homes ($43K more)
Bristol, NH 03222 91%99$81,587$313,000$348 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Dresden, ME 04342 91%176$74,844$240,100$259 cheaper homes ($102K less) · smaller
Alburgh, VT 05440 91%172$76,429$268,300$199 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller
Stockton Springs, ME 04981 90%228$77,560$239,000$223 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Middle Grove, NY 12850 90%116$92,083$317,300$246 Very close on everything we compare
Appling, GA 30802 90%811$85,625$322,000$215 larger
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 90%1,117$78,750$335,700$286 smaller
Graford, TX 76449 90%1,565$72,813$398,700$299 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Comfort, TX 78013 90%1,708$82,492$416,300$224 pricier homes ($74K more)
Effingham, NH 03882 89%118$76,607$322,700$294 smaller · younger residents
Whitefield, ME 04353 89%187$73,875$242,300$247 cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller
Hancock, ME 04640 89%251$71,699$269,100$292 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Townville, SC 29689 89%788$72,951$341,600$264 Very close on everything we compare
Catawba, SC 29704 89%696$74,303$243,800$240 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 89%1,216$79,475$298,800$226 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Rumney, NH 03266 88%112$76,071$281,900$251 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Loudon, NH 03307 88%84$107,226$365,400$268 higher income ($26K more) · larger
Antrim, NH 03440 88%60$88,889$300,000$305 cheaper homes ($42K less) · younger residents
Winchester, NH 03470 88%42$79,028$252,800$244 cheaper homes ($89K less) · younger residents
Alstead, NH 03602 88%65$70,455$279,400$216 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Wiscasset, ME 04578 88%175$81,063$327,400$234 7 min shorter 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.