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 Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538

Boothbay Harbor: median income $56,500, home value $388,100, $354/sq ft, 12-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Elk Rapids, MI 49629 82%781$65,302$394,600$333 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Blue Lake, CA 95525 73%2,726$57,379$478,600$224 pricier homes ($91K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Willow Creek, CA 95573 71%2,713$47,258$388,100$223 smaller · newer homes
Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 69%507$63,464$346,700$288 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger · younger residents
Ely, MN 55731 69%1,101$62,008$206,000$274 cheaper homes ($182K less) · larger · newer homes
Sperryville, VA 22740 68%575$65,938$469,400$340 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Walden, CO 80480 68%1,871$49,167$230,700$372 cheaper homes ($157K less) · smaller · younger residents
Dubois, WY 82513 68%1,979$66,332$382,600$330 7 min longer commute · more single-family homes · newer homes
Frankfort, MI 49635 67%822$72,422$366,700$263 larger · 9 min longer commute · newer homes
Rockaway Beach, OR 97136 67%2,617$66,106$375,000$372 younger residents · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Kilmarnock, VA 22482 66%551$47,308$355,600$202 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · newer homes
Lincoln, MT 59639 66%2,072$57,778$371,700$418 smaller · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Joseph, OR 97846 66%2,309$71,471$383,200$341 younger residents · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Cooperstown, NY 13326 65%278$80,040$340,100$240 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · younger residents
Gold Beach, OR 97444 65%2,713$64,920$402,700$296 larger · newer homes
Port Orford, OR 97465 65%2,708$43,777$342,100$273 cheaper homes ($46K less) · 11 min longer commute · newer homes
Hillsdale, NY 12529 64%229$70,750$384,600$334 younger residents · 11 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Saint Germain, WI 54558 64%980$59,718$261,000$345 cheaper homes ($127K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
La Veta, CO 81055 64%1,892$55,080$398,600$259 9 min longer commute · less walkable · newer homes
Crawford, CO 81415 64%1,987$59,141$330,900$333 cheaper homes ($57K less) · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Cedarville, MI 49719 63%734$75,156$226,500$294 cheaper homes ($162K less) · younger residents · more single-family homes
Okoboji, IA 51355 63%1,271$72,262$421,100$340 pricier homes ($33K more) · smaller · younger residents
Deadwood, SD 57732 63%1,680$43,636$232,300$241 cheaper homes ($156K less)
Philipsburg, MT 59858 63%2,111$56,719$380,000$316 younger residents · 11 min longer commute · newer homes
Long Beach, WA 98631 63%2,606$71,705$409,400$335 larger · younger residents · 7 min longer commute

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.