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 Carmel, ME 04419

Carmel: median income $82,188, home value $256,800, $231/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pittsville, MD 21850 97%554$79,665$234,500$223 Very close on everything we compare
Spout Spring, VA 24593 94%728$79,018$243,900$195 Very close on everything we compare
Reedsville, WV 26547 94%663$76,084$204,000$178 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Wartrace, TN 37183 94%1,114$81,126$245,300$180 Very close on everything we compare
Charleston, TN 37310 94%1,061$81,645$270,600$227 Very close on everything we compare
Sheldon, VT 05483 93%194$78,505$246,500$211 smaller · younger residents
Fenelton, PA 16034 93%608$88,300$214,300$236 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Stony Point, NC 28678 93%885$74,845$236,600$188 larger
Telford, TN 37690 93%923$74,286$246,200$186 larger
Taft, TN 38488 93%1,149$77,875$261,500$205 older residents
Lyndon Station, WI 53944 93%1,034$72,614$201,700$216 cheaper homes ($55K less)
Pillager, MN 56473 93%1,232$85,950$295,300$203 pricier homes ($39K more)
Whitewood, SD 57793 93%1,691$87,351$368,800$219 pricier homes ($112K more)
Grottoes, VA 24441 92%680$82,083$263,400$231 larger
Jackson Springs, NC 27281 92%869$74,547$292,400$193 pricier homes ($36K more)
Walland, TN 37886 92%998$82,009$261,700$266 Very close on everything we compare
Red Banks, MS 38661 92%1,283$69,276$227,300$213 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Freeburg, MO 65035 92%1,261$90,815$237,300$228 smaller
Bainbridge, PA 17502 91%508$72,776$233,000$235 younger residents
Frederica, DE 19946 91%519$80,459$302,800$201 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Pauline, SC 29374 91%970$78,397$247,000$196 Very close on everything we compare
Cropwell, AL 35054 91%1,206$77,929$347,700$211 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Estill Springs, TN 37330 91%1,117$70,952$213,500$226 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Vincent, OH 45784 91%751$82,713$229,800$183 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older homes
New Salisbury, IN 47161 91%987$79,914$206,800$199 cheaper homes ($50K 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.