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 Dresden, ME 04342

Dresden: median income $74,844, home value $240,100, $259/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Alburgh, VT 05440 96%163$76,429$268,300$199 pricier homes ($28K more)
Brookfield, MA 01506 91%176$81,250$341,900$267 pricier homes ($102K more) · larger
Alstead, NH 03602 90%145$70,455$279,400$216 pricier homes ($39K more)
Danville, VT 05828 90%120$72,121$279,100$208 pricier homes ($39K more)
Mears, MI 49436 90%831$67,279$255,000$285 6 min shorter commute
Iron River, WI 54847 90%1,063$68,795$266,600$236 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Danby, VT 05739 89%171$75,000$296,500$206 pricier homes ($56K more)
Conesus, NY 14435 89%409$71,865$208,800$239 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Boydton, VA 23917 89%684$73,965$201,600$187 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Henry, VA 24102 89%734$76,250$173,000$192 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Catawba, SC 29704 89%872$74,303$243,800$240 larger · younger residents
De Soto, WI 54624 89%1,065$81,518$186,000$258 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Rocky Mount, MO 65072 89%1,254$78,750$335,700$286 pricier homes ($96K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Rumney, NH 03266 88%106$76,071$281,900$251 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Jefferson, NH 03583 88%87$67,188$296,700$196 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
East Nassau, NY 12062 88%217$87,679$249,600$217 Very close on everything we compare
Swan Lake, NY 12783 88%304$67,778$248,200$251 smaller · older residents
Saluda, VA 23149 88%573$70,743$282,500$206 pricier homes ($42K more) · more renters
Hurdle Mills, NC 27541 88%731$75,305$237,000$202 larger · younger residents
White Sulphur Springs, MT 59645 88%1,990$77,241$287,800$300 pricier homes ($48K more)
Catawissa, MO 63015 88%1,157$88,750$237,000$216 younger residents
Westmoreland, KS 66549 88%1,407$79,318$202,300$237 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Hadley, NY 12835 87%212$66,992$224,100$282 larger · older homes
Union Dale, PA 18470 87%336$73,654$227,600$164 Very close on everything we compare
Ivanhoe, NC 28447 87%794$77,134$241,300— Very close on everything we compare

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.