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.

Reset

Towns most like North Waterboro, ME 04061

North Waterboro: median income $94,023, home value $274,300, $305/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Foreston, MN 56330 92%1,133$84,519$278,300$272 Very close on everything we compare
Johnsonville, NY 12094 89%149$92,266$260,900$215 Very close on everything we compare
Kingsville, MO 64061 89%1,252$85,987$283,000$229 older residents
Saint Elizabeth, MO 65075 89%1,179$87,431$283,100— smaller
King William, VA 23086 88%528$89,583$323,400$234 pricier homes ($49K more) · older residents
Pierson, MI 49339 88%740$86,611$241,100$206 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Shafer, MN 55074 88%1,089$106,625$297,500$225 Very close on everything we compare
Cross Plains, TN 37049 87%972$90,048$368,800$315 pricier homes ($95K more)
Okeana, OH 45053 87%784$109,148$342,000$299 pricier homes ($68K more)
Guilford, IN 47022 87%797$93,633$282,900$226 older residents
Suffolk, VA 23438 86%580$93,750$292,600$223 smaller · older residents
Thornton, WV 26440 86%560$92,824$216,800— cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · older residents
Aylett, VA 23009 85%525$98,581$319,100$198 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger
Litchfield, OH 44253 85%600$91,500$283,300$232 older residents
Coatesville, IN 46121 85%865$89,409$275,700$214 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Trenton, TX 75490 85%1,545$92,500$361,500$190 pricier homes ($87K more)
Wales, MA 01081 84%132$86,979$296,800$324 smaller · older residents
Buskirk, NY 12028 84%145$96,891$247,700— cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Knotts Island, NC 27950 84%564$88,250$290,300$255 smaller · 7 min longer commute
Shawboro, NC 27973 84%576$86,375$322,200$223 pricier homes ($48K more) · smaller · more renters
Bell Buckle, TN 37020 84%998$86,034$345,100$235 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger · older residents
Clarksville, OH 45113 84%743$104,750$280,200$221 Very close on everything we compare
Harris, MN 55032 84%1,102$104,554$380,900$271 pricier homes ($107K more) · older residents
Waverly, MN 55390 84%1,148$103,750$348,300$183 pricier homes ($74K more)
Silex, MO 63377 84%1,095$88,424$233,600$275 cheaper homes ($41K less) · older 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.