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 Madison, NH 03849

Madison: median income $96,439, home value $390,100, $289/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Edgecomb, ME 04556 93%75$108,750$348,400$296 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Soulsbyville, CA 95372 92%2,558$97,398$408,300$255 Very close on everything we compare
Oldenburg, IN 47036 91%792$98,300$413,700— Very close on everything we compare
Audubon, MN 56511 91%1,218$89,875$401,900$261 more apartments and townhomes
Martell, NE 68404 90%1,323$112,643$313,100$312 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Cuttingsville, VT 05738 89%91$95,000$331,900— cheaper homes ($58K less) · 5 min longer commute
Kasota, MN 56050 89%1,129$90,000$342,700$211 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Mount Crawford, VA 22841 88%558$92,862$370,500$207 larger
Runnells, IA 50237 88%1,140$101,806$346,900$300 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Jefferson, SD 57038 88%1,279$106,250$332,300$185 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Dayton, WY 82836 88%1,772$79,375$329,100$264 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Franklin, VT 05457 87%114$96,875$279,200$297 cheaper homes ($111K less)
Crescent, IA 51526 87%1,263$95,179$334,300$206 cheaper homes ($56K less) · less walkable
Waldo, WI 53093 87%839$101,429$274,800$223 cheaper homes ($115K less)
Black Earth, WI 53515 87%932$92,625$361,300$218 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Brooklyn, WI 53521 87%918$108,036$391,100$263 larger
Pleasanton, NE 68866 87%1,435$94,792$262,300— cheaper homes ($128K less)
Nobleboro, ME 04555 86%83$100,417$352,600$348 cheaper homes ($38K less)
North Franklin, CT 06254 86%167$105,000$326,200$246 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 6 min longer commute
Winfield, PA 17889 86%360$89,063$288,900$188 cheaper homes ($101K less) · larger
Brussels, WI 54204 86%816$79,803$379,800$299 6 min longer commute
Brandon, MN 56315 86%1,200$89,514$269,800$246 cheaper homes ($120K less)
Garfield, MN 56332 86%1,196$87,917$281,400$273 cheaper homes ($109K less) · 6 min longer commute
Renner, SD 57055 86%1,272$120,341$474,500$282 pricier homes ($84K more)
Thompson, ND 58278 86%1,272$111,250$313,400$209 cheaper homes ($77K 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.