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 Fryeburg, ME 04037

Fryeburg: median income $54,414, home value $278,200, $260/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Webster, WI 54893 95%1,049$56,129$234,200$220 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Newland, NC 28657 94%798$59,702$240,300$249 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger
West Jefferson, NC 28694 94%766$58,486$273,200$266 larger
Siren, WI 54872 93%1,052$60,787$233,200$258 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Conover, WI 54519 91%901$59,628$271,600$271 smaller
Spooner, WI 54801 91%1,029$62,625$216,500$210 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Minong, WI 54859 91%1,026$55,882$225,300$336 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Eureka Springs, AR 72632 91%1,306$46,354$247,300$223 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Chewelah, WA 99109 91%2,224$62,391$327,400$235 pricier homes ($49K more)
Floyd, VA 24091 90%696$51,319$248,200$224 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Raphine, VA 24472 90%602$51,429$251,000$268 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Huntsville, OH 43324 90%701$56,466$256,500$254 younger residents
Backus, MN 56435 90%1,148$62,381$256,800$273 Very close on everything we compare
Pine River, MN 56474 90%1,150$59,922$238,600$238 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
State Road, NC 28676 89%744$60,833$242,600$191 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Edgewater, FL 32132 89%1,175$52,181$252,300$226 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Hilbert, WI 54129 89%854$67,381$279,700$208 Very close on everything we compare
Wautoma, WI 54982 89%907$64,201$203,100$209 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
Center Conway, NH 03813 88%6$56,951$252,200$330 cheaper homes ($26K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Jefferson, NC 28640 88%762$53,155$282,900$264 more renters
Benzonia, MI 49616 88%748$57,982$221,600$259 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 88%917$62,841$282,200$246 smaller
Cumberland, WI 54829 88%1,035$66,538$245,800$217 cheaper homes ($32K less) · younger residents
Mcgregor, MN 55760 88%1,096$59,474$274,600$276 7 min longer commute
Motley, MN 56466 88%1,156$61,910$237,100$252 cheaper homes ($41K less) · younger 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.