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 Barnstead, NH 03218

Barnstead: median income $112,500, home value $346,900, $335/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saint Charles, IA 50240 91%1,156$107,563$305,800$288 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Wilson, WI 54027 91%1,040$100,750$325,900$316 Very close on everything we compare
Templeton, MA 01468 89%67$113,427$384,500$271 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Leasburg, NC 27291 89%635$89,610$269,900$302 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Welch, MN 55089 89%1,067$108,750$384,800$238 pricier homes ($38K more)
Voluntown, CT 06384 88%124$106,518$354,900$311 larger · older residents
Estell Manor, NJ 08319 88%329$100,278$315,000$219 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Taylors Falls, MN 55084 88%1,066$94,297$318,500$276 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Fort Calhoun, NE 68023 88%1,265$116,287$389,600$333 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Hebron, ME 04238 87%75$92,550$242,300$309 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Grand Isle, VT 05458 87%139$101,728$403,200$297 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Hampton, CT 06247 87%115$108,854$293,000$263 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Olivebridge, NY 12461 87%182$112,273$431,400$319 pricier homes ($85K more)
Saint Anthony, IN 47575 87%881$125,625$318,900— cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
Wales, MA 01081 86%99$86,979$296,800$324 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Durham, ME 04222 86%70$99,181$322,200$301 larger
Cambridge, VT 05444 86%119$106,088$366,400$248 larger
Franklin, VT 05457 86%138$96,875$279,200$297 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Chaplin, CT 06235 86%114$98,059$256,300$272 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Dorothy, NJ 08317 86%328$106,696$326,300$272 more renters
Elkhart, IA 50073 86%1,133$100,972$274,700$264 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Star Prairie, WI 54026 86%1,057$95,833$342,200$277 larger
Park City, MT 59063 86%1,845$99,432$449,200$280 pricier homes ($102K more) · larger · newer homes
Hayden, CO 81639 86%1,845$110,404$443,600$354 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger
Forest Ranch, CA 95942 86%2,574$116,400$448,000$226 pricier homes ($101K more) · larger

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.