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 Keene, NH 03431

Keene: median income $79,541, home value $255,500, $228/sq ft, 18-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hamden, CT 06514 90%115$88,900$270,800$217 more walkable
Chattanooga, TN 37415 90%881$70,972$285,000$216 pricier homes ($30K more)
West Springfield, MA 01089 89%61$69,371$321,500$249 pricier homes ($66K more)
Bangor, ME 04401 89%217$66,932$239,900$198 larger
Middletown, CT 06457 89%99$79,463$295,300$235 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Rensselaer, NY 12144 89%76$90,738$249,700$213 Very close on everything we compare
Brewer, ME 04412 88%217$66,613$245,300$194 smaller
Manchester, CT 06040 88%83$83,422$259,400$224 more walkable
Carlisle, PA 17013 88%315$71,042$233,300$179 larger
Reading, PA 19607 88%265$81,346$228,800$183 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Clinton, NY 13323 87%156$78,224$244,600$193 smaller
Hershey, PA 17033 87%292$72,945$384,100$198 pricier homes ($129K more) · smaller
Henrico, VA 23228 87%465$70,260$283,500$235 pricier homes ($28K more)
Appleton, WI 54911 87%809$67,001$216,100$174 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Bismarck, ND 58501 87%1,412$68,755$279,700$161 Very close on everything we compare
Akron, OH 44313 86%492$75,671$231,300$161 5 min longer commute
Dayton, OH 45440 86%653$82,383$267,900$158 Very close on everything we compare
Port Washington, WI 53074 86%785$79,423$296,600$233 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · newer homes
Appleton, WI 54914 86%811$79,875$237,400$180 newer homes
Cheyenne, WY 82001 86%1,662$75,362$316,500$189 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger
Pittsfield, MA 01201 85%60$71,093$259,800$211 larger
Auburn, ME 04210 85%129$66,647$282,000$208 pricier homes ($27K more)
Kingston, NY 12401 85%113$69,305$319,700$275 pricier homes ($64K more) · 5 min longer commute
Winston-Salem, NC 27103 85%639$67,012$241,700$182 newer homes
Green Bay, WI 54304 85%792$63,865$220,600$192 cheaper homes ($35K less)

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.