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 Manchester, ME 04351

Manchester: median income $92,031, home value $299,600, $210/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Saratoga, WY 82331 95%1,861$95,610$363,800$206 pricier homes ($64K more)
East Montpelier, VT 05651 92%130$103,393$393,500$201 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller
Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 16865 92%484$77,717$270,700$208 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Putney, VT 05346 91%161$79,118$320,800$202 larger
East Berlin, CT 06023 91%238$100,317$342,600$242 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Midway, KY 40347 91%880$85,270$354,000$203 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Gill, MA 01354 90%177$90,208$340,100$230 pricier homes ($41K more)
Bethlehem, NH 03574 90%90$81,250$288,300$191 older residents
Dalton, PA 18414 90%353$93,065$288,500$194 larger
Thompson, ND 58278 90%1,319$111,250$313,400$209 Very close on everything we compare
Thornton, NH 03285 89%94$90,022$351,900$254 pricier homes ($52K more)
Fairlee, VT 05045 89%119$79,203$291,700$218 Very close on everything we compare
Arlington, VT 05250 89%186$96,250$300,700$267 larger
North Bennington, VT 05257 89%195$94,375$307,500$258 younger residents
Oley, PA 19547 89%408$89,948$357,900$213 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Jefferson, SD 57038 89%1,339$106,250$332,300$185 pricier homes ($33K more)
Omaha, NE 68152 89%1,334$84,958$316,400$162 larger
Vergennes, VT 05491 88%170$87,917$337,400$286 pricier homes ($38K more) · larger
Hickory, PA 15340 88%602$82,431$291,000$211 smaller
Winfield, PA 17889 88%429$89,063$288,900$188 Very close on everything we compare
La Crescent, MN 55947 88%1,062$88,611$302,200$179 larger
Kasota, MN 56050 88%1,186$90,000$342,700$211 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller
Kansas City, MO 64145 88%1,326$95,159$370,100$170 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger
New Haven, VT 05472 87%165$92,537$378,000$217 pricier homes ($78K more)
Marmora, NJ 08223 87%430$107,131$420,300$272 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger

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.