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.

Reset

Towns most like Nobleboro, ME 04555

Nobleboro: median income $100,417, home value $352,600, $348/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sheffield, MA 01257 94%239$102,788$441,000$299 pricier homes ($88K more)
Lake George, NY 12845 92%215$100,774$355,900$325 larger
Oldenburg, IN 47036 91%873$98,300$413,700— pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · newer homes
Madison Lake, MN 56063 90%1,202$102,391$416,300$297 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger
West Sand Lake, NY 12196 89%230$110,889$317,300$241 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Millerton, NY 12546 89%252$84,455$313,300$313 cheaper homes ($39K less)
New Haven, VT 05472 88%183$92,537$378,000$217 pricier homes ($25K more)
Mazomanie, WI 53560 88%1,013$98,409$358,000$228 larger
East Berlin, CT 06023 87%237$100,317$342,600$242 smaller
Cottekill, NY 12419 87%280$121,776$354,900$388 smaller
Chestertown, NY 12817 87%218$93,393$327,600$316 cheaper homes ($25K less) · older residents
Galena, MD 21635 87%465$101,618$402,000$258 pricier homes ($49K more) · 6 min longer commute
Elwood, NE 68937 87%1,560$85,260$316,800$399 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents
Bernardston, MA 01337 86%183$85,045$338,800$233 Very close on everything we compare
Madison, NH 03849 86%83$96,439$390,100$289 pricier homes ($38K more)
Vergennes, VT 05491 86%188$87,917$337,400$286 larger
Bridport, VT 05734 86%192$81,250$358,600$329 7 min longer commute
Mc Henry, MD 21541 86%597$82,955$342,500$258 Very close on everything we compare
Black Earth, WI 53515 86%1,013$92,625$361,300$218 Very close on everything we compare
Easton, MO 64443 86%1,323$86,042$300,000— cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Sharon, VT 05065 85%148$86,042$341,200$252 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Ghent, NY 12075 85%244$98,047$422,900$253 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Grahamsville, NY 12740 85%297$103,462$298,200$341 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 6 min longer commute
North Bend, OH 45052 85%856$101,165$304,900$264 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · older residents
Elysian, MN 56028 85%1,196$93,375$338,000$253 smaller · 6 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.