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 Manchester, NH 03109

Manchester: median income $108,144, home value $387,900, $305/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Gloucester, ME 04260 94%88$108,797$357,100$257 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Chisago City, MN 55013 94%1,074$109,063$397,400$239 Very close on everything we compare
Medical Lake, WA 99022 93%2,239$93,812$389,700$245 Very close on everything we compare
Mechanicville, NY 12118 91%117$92,710$345,800$267 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Slinger, WI 53086 91%849$103,426$387,100$214 Very close on everything we compare
East Troy, WI 53120 91%859$96,345$336,300$260 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Penrose, CO 81240 91%1,775$90,417$341,400$244 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller
Hope Valley, RI 02832 90%102$105,976$432,300$270 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Wrightstown, NJ 08562 90%259$103,493$301,800$282 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller
Telford, PA 18969 90%274$108,995$385,300$237 larger
Deforest, WI 53532 90%903$110,022$371,600$227 larger
Prescott, WI 54021 90%1,067$97,321$365,300$198 Very close on everything we compare
Pleasant Valley, NY 12569 89%149$100,846$380,100$246 5 min longer commute
Pennsburg, PA 18073 89%276$115,766$369,300$218 Very close on everything we compare
Oxford, PA 19363 89%323$107,067$370,200$217 larger
Chester, MD 21619 89%376$107,639$486,600$297 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Union Grove, WI 53182 89%841$107,068$328,700$215 cheaper homes ($59K less) · more renters
North Smithfield, RI 02896 88%69$108,983$457,400$295 pricier homes ($70K more) · older homes
Smithfield, RI 02917 88%74$110,938$451,800$281 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger · younger residents
Berwick, ME 03901 88%36$94,771$369,100$261 Very close on everything we compare
South Berwick, ME 03908 88%36$98,289$425,700$274 pricier homes ($38K more)
Milton, VT 05468 88%144$114,709$372,200$255 more single-family homes
Plantsville, CT 06479 88%123$114,346$359,000$261 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Sellersville, PA 18960 88%270$109,028$408,300$234 Very close on everything we compare
Rising Sun, MD 21911 88%331$104,673$359,000$220 cheaper homes ($29K less) · more single-family homes

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.