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 Orono, ME 04473

Orono: median income $61,528, home value $272,600, $198/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Laramie, WY 82072 90%1,852$53,863$324,100$200 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Storrs Mansfield, CT 06268 87%277$55,219$348,600$220 pricier homes ($76K more)
Ames, IA 50010 87%1,258$65,398$253,500$190 larger
Houghton, MI 49931 85%962$50,408$232,800$162 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Vermillion, SD 57069 81%1,406$53,327$231,200$142 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Laramie, WY 82070 81%1,868$69,095$338,500$216 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger
Plymouth, NH 03264 80%166$76,892$288,800$226 Very close on everything we compare
Iowa City, IA 52246 77%1,167$62,521$348,900$176 pricier homes ($76K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Lawrence, KS 66044 77%1,413$55,955$235,000$199 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · more walkable
Lawrence, KS 66047 77%1,419$65,392$342,300$173 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger · older residents
Clemson, SC 29631 76%1,026$48,800$400,400$214 pricier homes ($128K more) · larger · more walkable
Ames, IA 50014 76%1,263$60,731$336,800$211 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger · newer homes
Iowa City, IA 52245 76%1,164$78,020$315,100$184 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · older residents
Moscow, ID 83843 76%2,292$59,444$380,600$257 pricier homes ($108K more) · larger
Brookings, SD 57006 75%1,375$66,337$273,900$155 larger
Baton Rouge, LA 70808 75%1,574$69,418$409,900$213 pricier homes ($137K more) · larger · older residents
Ithaca, NY 14850 74%424$71,445$353,500$228 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger
Lawrence, KS 66046 73%1,417$65,478$233,700$199 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Nacogdoches, TX 75965 73%1,662$55,291$244,500$151 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Sunderland, MA 01375 72%255$68,083$458,100$301 pricier homes ($186K more) · smaller · older residents
Millersville, PA 17551 72%515$68,661$287,900$190 6 min longer commute
Athens, OH 45701 72%785$53,075$227,400$153 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger · more walkable
Iowa City, IA 52240 72%1,164$52,960$242,300$181 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Manhattan, KS 66502 72%1,475$54,833$223,100$153 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger
Stillwater, OK 74074 72%1,598$52,998$258,700$164 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.