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 Shapleigh, ME 04076

Shapleigh: median income $88,140, home value $356,000, $365/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
South Haven, MN 55382 96%1,156$93,661$368,100$283 Very close on everything we compare
New Durham, NH 03855 94%18$100,194$339,400$450 Very close on everything we compare
Star Prairie, WI 54026 94%1,075$95,833$342,200$277 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Park, MN 56554 93%1,244$94,792$376,400$307 Very close on everything we compare
Holland, MA 01521 92%125$91,979$333,600$359 older residents
Hanover, VA 23069 92%525$83,453$356,400$274 Very close on everything we compare
Culleoka, TN 38451 91%1,025$90,163$341,600$281 Very close on everything we compare
Kansasville, WI 53139 91%872$99,635$305,500$285 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 90%25$111,660$368,400$327 Very close on everything we compare
Bath, NC 27808 90%642$90,472$372,500$295 Very close on everything we compare
Rapid City, MI 49676 90%721$75,781$269,300$290 cheaper homes ($87K less)
Sterling, AK 99672 90%3,356$100,642$316,400$364 cheaper homes ($40K less) · newer homes
Voluntown, CT 06384 89%147$106,518$354,900$311 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Charles, IA 50240 89%1,179$107,563$305,800$288 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Brussels, WI 54204 89%835$79,803$379,800$299 5 min shorter commute
Holt, MO 64048 89%1,247$103,131$337,900$255 Very close on everything we compare
Becket, MA 01223 88%143$86,818$363,600$258 Very close on everything we compare
Gilmanton, NH 03237 88%31$111,359$345,400$275 Very close on everything we compare
New Hampton, NH 03256 88%41$87,917$382,000$353 pricier homes ($26K more)
Sanbornville, NH 03872 88%10$109,583$334,400$278 Very close on everything we compare
Canterbury, CT 06331 88%143$103,198$334,200$243 larger
Freeland, MD 21053 88%405$89,497$408,300$238 pricier homes ($52K more)
Cordova, MD 21625 88%421$83,250$372,200$374 smaller
Wales, MA 01081 87%125$86,979$296,800$324 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · younger residents
Bradford, NH 03221 87%61$109,803$325,400$337 cheaper homes ($31K less)

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.