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 Francestown, NH 03043

Francestown: median income $104,063, home value $408,200, $252/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brookfield, VT 05036 92%82$109,612$343,100$191 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Oakham, MA 01068 91%46$102,000$420,100$265 Very close on everything we compare
Diamond Point, NY 12824 90%102$108,533$425,900$266 6 min shorter commute
Weems, VA 22576 90%440$104,948$414,000$264 older residents
Elgin, AZ 85611 89%2,243$91,458$380,300$248 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
Clinton Corners, NY 12514 86%126$120,439$436,700$364 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Wadmalaw Island, SC 29487 86%847$105,592$487,900$347 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Cedar Crest, NM 87008 86%1,917$85,673$376,700$239 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Shutesbury, MA 01072 85%47$111,667$355,100$341 cheaper homes ($53K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Great Meadows, NJ 07838 85%219$121,599$440,100$265 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · younger residents
Holmes, NY 12531 85%138$129,028$475,400$312 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger
Bellvue, CO 80512 85%1,719$97,837$625,000$309 pricier homes ($217K more)
Granville, MA 01034 84%84$91,016$356,800$231 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Pomfret, MD 20675 84%408$127,269$483,700$201 pricier homes ($76K more) · 7 min longer commute
Suffolk, VA 23432 84%492$94,306$391,500$208 Very close on everything we compare
Marine On Saint Croix, MN 55047 83%1,051$107,361$497,900$331 pricier homes ($90K more) · larger · older residents
Bristol, IL 60512 83%852$96,895$352,200$239 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Beaverdam, VA 23015 82%466$113,771$442,900$257 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Rhododendron, OR 97049 82%2,448$92,056$474,200$284 pricier homes ($66K more)
Becket, MA 01223 81%80$86,818$363,600$258 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Petersham, MA 01366 81%40$110,750$392,400$305 older residents · older homes
Westford, VT 05494 81%127$117,143$412,900$238 younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Geneva, FL 32732 81%1,112$119,205$487,600$280 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger · younger residents
Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754 80%114$121,591$462,300$353 pricier homes ($54K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Salisbury Mills, NY 12577 80%159$124,028$469,800$249 pricier homes ($62K more) · 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.