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 East Waterboro, ME 04030

East Waterboro: median income $72,548, home value $348,400, $274/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rushville, OH 43150 92%660$75,284$271,500$264 cheaper homes ($77K less)
McCammon, ID 83250 91%2,071$73,555$322,000$217 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Deary, ID 83823 91%2,210$78,345$409,300$225 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller
Cresco, PA 18326 90%289$85,352$285,300$215 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Wales, MA 01081 89%131$86,979$296,800$324 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Balsam Lake, WI 54810 89%1,074$69,917$271,600$263 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Taylors Falls, MN 55084 89%1,090$94,297$318,500$276 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Drexel, MO 64742 89%1,289$71,442$243,800$203 cheaper homes ($105K less)
Conowingo, MD 21918 88%391$84,587$324,800$230 larger · newer homes
Freeman, MO 64746 88%1,281$79,682$275,000$203 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
Garden Valley, CA 95633 88%2,587$74,258$434,200$304 pricier homes ($86K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Fort Jones, CA 96032 88%2,613$72,951$320,100$252 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older residents
Vernonia, OR 97064 88%2,535$67,317$383,600$298 pricier homes ($35K more) · newer homes
Andover, NH 03216 87%56$88,311$358,800$194 Very close on everything we compare
Danbury, NH 03230 87%59$71,685$240,700$272 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · older residents
Effingham, NH 03882 87%16$76,607$322,700$294 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Darlington, MD 21034 87%395$78,047$401,500$218 pricier homes ($53K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Shipman, VA 22971 87%586$79,135$319,000$260 cheaper homes ($29K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Sugar Grove, NC 28679 87%777$65,246$287,100$291 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Bremen, OH 43107 87%662$78,482$241,600$208 cheaper homes ($107K less)
Campo, CA 91906 87%2,566$62,500$327,600$294 Very close on everything we compare
Darrington, WA 98241 87%2,422$73,185$395,000$278 pricier homes ($47K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Entiat, WA 98822 87%2,370$86,103$383,600$340 pricier homes ($35K more)
Hillsborough, NH 03244 86%69$86,375$279,500$263 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Union, NH 03887 86%20$91,875$292,800$251 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · more homeowners

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.