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 Old Town, ME 04468

Old Town: median income $56,358, home value $203,700, $192/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pocatello, ID 83204 93%2,157$57,146$263,500$168 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Mansfield, PA 16933 92%474$65,096$210,300$146 Very close on everything we compare
Kalamazoo, MI 49048 91%860$60,454$177,200$163 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Monte Vista, CO 81144 91%1,992$64,662$234,200$191 pricier homes ($31K more)
Fredonia, NY 14063 90%560$57,937$183,500$146 Very close on everything we compare
Sayre, PA 18840 90%443$59,214$171,300$136 cheaper homes ($32K less)
Chattanooga, TN 37412 90%1,110$62,508$209,900$175 larger
Williamsburg, IA 52361 90%1,192$60,992$211,200$145 smaller
Cullman, AL 35055 89%1,215$58,405$218,900$156 larger
Chattanooga, TN 37416 89%1,103$70,705$253,100$193 pricier homes ($49K more)
Tupelo, MS 38804 89%1,289$64,420$219,700$155 larger · newer homes
Mansfield, OH 44904 89%760$62,364$211,600$171 Very close on everything we compare
Cloquet, MN 55720 89%1,151$64,167$223,200$204 larger
Longview, TX 75601 89%1,635$65,700$210,500$146 larger
Milton, PA 17847 88%494$58,775$197,100$137 Very close on everything we compare
Honesdale, PA 18431 88%404$56,779$230,200$207 pricier homes ($27K more) · older residents
Henrico, VA 23075 88%680$55,567$222,700$224 more walkable
Farmville, VA 23901 88%731$55,886$229,400$175 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Salisbury, NC 28144 88%892$52,568$226,700$159 larger
Wilkesboro, NC 28697 88%892$52,988$218,500$171 older residents · newer homes
Clinton, SC 29325 88%1,005$60,259$177,400$126 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Greenwood, SC 29649 88%1,029$54,585$235,100$168 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · newer homes
Fort Wayne, IN 46819 88%874$63,947$168,100$152 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Hillsdale, MI 49242 88%825$61,029$183,700$147 larger
Gwinn, MI 49841 88%909$60,568$166,800$180 cheaper homes ($37K 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.