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 Acton, ME 04001

Acton: median income $78,750, home value $334,300, $388/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Holland, MA 01521 90%121$91,979$333,600$359 Very close on everything we compare
Hillman, MN 56338 87%1,134$70,938$289,600$295 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Boulevard, CA 91905 87%2,545$77,886$394,400$326 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller
Washington, NH 03280 86%63$90,096$355,200$289 smaller
Nineveh, IN 46164 86%835$85,735$247,200$238 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Rileyville, VA 22650 85%510$72,226$277,700$307 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Milton, TN 37118 85%964$74,592$478,300$318 pricier homes ($144K more) · smaller
Bentonville, VA 22610 84%502$81,500$337,700$246 newer homes
Port Haywood, VA 23138 84%511$78,475$277,800$311 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Manitou Beach, MI 49253 84%685$89,069$255,000$400 cheaper homes ($79K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Maiden Rock, WI 54750 84%1,059$93,750$308,800$370 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · older homes
Gordon, WI 54838 84%1,035$74,318$250,000$313 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · older residents
Blandford, MA 01008 83%139$97,554$295,200$257 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Granville, MA 01034 83%143$91,016$356,800$231 Very close on everything we compare
Dinwiddie, VA 23841 83%567$70,670$247,900$256 cheaper homes ($86K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Merlin, OR 97532 83%2,608$81,167$445,400$281 pricier homes ($111K more) · 5 min shorter commute
South Haven, MN 55382 82%1,151$93,661$368,100$283 pricier homes ($34K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Bushwood, MD 20618 81%475$105,508$355,000$290 higher income ($27K more) · smaller · more renters
Fleischmanns, NY 12430 80%206$68,250$277,700$358 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Whiteford, MD 21160 80%384$106,181$391,300$336 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($57K more) · more renters
Mc Clellanville, SC 29458 80%856$86,431$370,900$337 pricier homes ($37K more) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Delton, MI 49046 80%734$86,054$312,100$253 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Grey Eagle, MN 56336 80%1,176$82,679$331,400$396 smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Greenfield, NH 03047 79%63$103,603$350,300$298 smaller
New Durham, NH 03855 79%13$100,194$339,400$450 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute

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.