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 Milton, NH 03851

Milton: median income $93,412, home value $314,300, $376/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Entiat, WA 98822 94%2,361$86,103$383,600$340 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Wales, MA 01081 92%112$86,979$296,800$324 smaller
Steep Falls, ME 04085 92%30$92,246$288,600$253 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Voluntown, CT 06384 91%134$106,518$354,900$311 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Holtwood, PA 17532 91%367$84,562$348,600$312 pricier homes ($34K more)
Saginaw, MN 55779 91%1,065$93,792$282,900$263 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Hollis Center, ME 04042 90%24$95,950$338,900$270 Very close on everything we compare
Buxton, ME 04093 90%29$100,144$356,800$332 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Poland, ME 04274 90%53$85,557$283,600$275 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Cordova, MD 21625 90%408$83,250$372,200$374 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Oakville, WA 98568 90%2,510$84,531$426,200$315 pricier homes ($112K more)
Sterling, AK 99672 90%3,358$100,642$316,400$364 more single-family homes · newer homes
Chaplin, CT 06235 89%126$98,059$256,300$272 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Shelbyville, MI 49344 89%740$84,661$313,400$307 6 min shorter commute
Malone, WI 53049 89%863$93,424$286,000$261 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Taylors Falls, MN 55084 89%1,077$94,297$318,500$276 smaller
Carver, MA 02330 88%107$91,250$434,200$357 pricier homes ($120K more) · larger
North Berwick, ME 03906 88%16$105,156$432,900$325 pricier homes ($119K more)
Woodford, VA 22580 88%499$93,603$353,800$248 pricier homes ($40K more)
Culleoka, TN 38451 88%1,012$90,163$341,600$281 pricier homes ($27K more)
Saint Charles, IA 50240 88%1,170$107,563$305,800$288 smaller
Star Prairie, WI 54026 88%1,069$95,833$342,200$277 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Mc Dade, TX 78650 88%1,699$85,170$300,300— smaller
Priest River, ID 83856 88%2,202$75,285$427,900$333 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger
Alfred, ME 04002 87%16$84,537$352,100$293 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger · older residents

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.