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 Freeport, ME 04032

Freeport: median income $107,326, home value $508,400, $372/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Delafield, WI 53018 93%917$124,595$521,400$284 Very close on everything we compare
Hinesburg, VT 05461 91%152$109,712$460,200$315 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
Wakefield, RI 02879 90%182$112,231$564,700$445 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger
Red Hook, NY 12571 90%229$118,967$431,200$328 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Hadley, MA 01035 89%162$119,259$511,000$341 smaller · older homes
Nashotah, WI 53058 89%917$104,444$584,900$280 pricier homes ($77K more) · smaller
New London, NH 03257 88%99$107,000$559,000$346 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Stowe, VT 05672 88%135$93,618$647,800$433 pricier homes ($139K more) · smaller
Ballston Lake, NY 12019 88%199$112,420$400,400$271 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger
Rowley, MA 01969 87%89$132,734$667,300$375 higher income ($25K more) · pricier homes ($159K more)
North Easton, MA 02356 87%134$127,224$650,300$348 pricier homes ($142K more) · 7 min longer commute
Portsmouth, RI 02871 87%167$116,831$597,000$392 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · more walkable
Richmond, VT 05477 87%146$108,971$424,400$295 cheaper homes ($84K less) · smaller · younger residents
East Lyme, CT 06333 87%203$129,083$439,000$273 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Fairfield, NJ 07004 87%297$115,980$688,500$393 pricier homes ($180K more)
Jericho, VT 05465 86%147$114,677$477,400$303 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Shelburne, VT 05482 86%159$115,963$588,100$310 pricier homes ($80K more)
Waitsfield, VT 05673 86%137$98,068$448,000$362 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 86%1,319$115,799$616,000$491 pricier homes ($108K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Cedarburg, WI 53012 86%895$96,090$422,700$273 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger
Hartland, WI 53029 86%914$108,152$478,700$250 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
White Salmon, WA 98672 86%2,478$97,622$669,200$415 pricier homes ($161K more)
Exeter, NH 03833 85%74$119,393$480,500$354 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Clarence, NY 14031 85%431$103,750$343,700$249 cheaper homes ($165K less)
North Kingstown, RI 02852 84%171$118,643$504,900$332 larger · older homes

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.