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 Center Barnstead, NH 03225

Center Barnstead: median income $111,660, home value $368,400, $327/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Foster, RI 02825 94%111$112,593$445,600$272 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger
North Berwick, ME 03906 94%26$105,156$432,900$325 pricier homes ($65K more)
Saint Charles, IA 50240 94%1,159$107,563$305,800$288 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller
Holt, MO 64048 94%1,225$103,131$337,900$255 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Hampton, CT 06247 93%118$108,854$293,000$263 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Star Prairie, WI 54026 93%1,059$95,833$342,200$277 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Sterling, AK 99672 93%3,354$100,642$316,400$364 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Hubbardston, MA 01452 92%71$123,500$371,600$311 5 min longer commute
Templeton, MA 01468 92%70$113,427$384,500$271 Very close on everything we compare
Troy, VA 22974 92%523$112,344$368,900$271 Very close on everything we compare
Pegram, TN 37143 92%974$96,929$392,400$234 Very close on everything we compare
Okeana, OH 45053 92%753$109,148$342,000$299 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Runnells, IA 50237 92%1,134$101,806$346,900$300 Very close on everything we compare
Brooklyn, WI 53521 92%914$108,036$391,100$263 5 min shorter commute
Clear Lake, MN 55319 92%1,127$111,607$383,200$216 Very close on everything we compare
Durham, ME 04222 91%68$99,181$322,200$301 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Voluntown, CT 06384 91%126$106,518$354,900$311 older residents
Pequea, PA 17565 91%354$125,313$340,100$247 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Earleville, MD 21919 91%365$106,500$373,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Eagle, WI 53119 91%868$117,759$416,500$292 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · older residents
Harris, MN 55032 91%1,082$104,554$380,900$271 6 min longer commute
South Haven, MN 55382 91%1,139$93,661$368,100$283 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Park, MN 56554 91%1,229$94,792$376,400$307 Very close on everything we compare
Hollis Center, ME 04042 90%36$95,950$338,900$270 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Shapleigh, ME 04076 90%25$88,140$356,000$365 Very close on everything we compare

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.