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 Alfred, ME 04002

Alfred: median income $84,537, home value $352,100, $293/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brookfield, MA 01506 92%114$81,250$341,900$267 smaller
Twin Lakes, WI 53181 92%888$97,804$293,500$248 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 92%1,251$79,475$298,800$226 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Priest River, ID 83856 92%2,214$75,285$427,900$333 pricier homes ($76K more)
Culleoka, TN 38451 91%1,028$90,163$341,600$281 smaller
Campbellsport, WI 53010 91%879$95,391$307,000$235 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Pine Grove, CA 95665 91%2,591$87,366$418,900$237 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Loudon, NH 03307 90%40$107,226$365,400$268 Very close on everything we compare
Appling, GA 30802 90%924$85,625$322,000$215 cheaper homes ($30K less) · newer homes
Carver, MA 02330 89%111$91,250$434,200$357 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · younger residents
Bristol, NH 03222 89%54$81,587$313,000$348 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Thornville, OH 43076 89%652$91,085$300,500$227 cheaper homes ($52K less)
East China, MI 48054 89%599$83,241$301,400$199 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Delton, MI 49046 89%745$86,054$312,100$253 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Dousman, WI 53118 89%894$108,772$372,600$274 Very close on everything we compare
Amery, WI 54001 89%1,076$80,344$286,800$200 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Annandale, MN 55302 89%1,159$83,235$347,000$230 younger residents
Auberry, CA 93602 89%2,571$78,016$370,700$221 smaller
Monson, MA 01057 88%126$98,508$345,300$239 Very close on everything we compare
Acushnet, MA 02743 88%124$89,593$434,000$288 pricier homes ($82K more) · younger residents · older homes
Brooklyn, CT 06234 88%134$96,207$315,200$243 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents
Canterbury, CT 06331 88%141$103,198$334,200$243 smaller
Street, MD 21154 88%395$97,658$455,400$257 pricier homes ($103K more) · 5 min longer commute
Spring Hill, FL 34607 88%1,228$66,422$398,900$282 pricier homes ($47K more)
Joelton, TN 37080 88%989$87,963$333,700$232 6 min longer 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.