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 Edgecomb, ME 04556

Edgecomb: median income $108,750, home value $348,400, $296/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Madison, NH 03849 93%75$96,439$390,100$289 pricier homes ($42K more)
Perkinsville, VT 05151 93%150$96,836$265,600$261 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Plainfield, NH 03781 92%136$109,659$426,400$270 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger
Kindred, ND 58051 92%1,336$107,396$331,100$241 larger
Cuttingsville, VT 05738 91%165$95,000$331,900— Very close on everything we compare
Slater, IA 50244 91%1,222$120,313$250,800$266 cheaper homes ($98K less)
Thompson, ND 58278 91%1,340$111,250$313,400$209 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Oldenburg, IN 47036 90%864$98,300$413,700— pricier homes ($65K more)
Jefferson, SD 57038 90%1,353$106,250$332,300$185 Very close on everything we compare
Gilbert, IA 50105 89%1,215$130,083$275,400$304 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Westphalia, MO 65085 89%1,222$103,563$290,600$244 cheaper homes ($58K less)
Runnells, IA 50237 88%1,215$101,806$346,900$300 larger
Long Grove, IA 52756 88%1,069$116,250$358,000$189 larger · older residents
Barneveld, WI 53507 88%1,016$113,261$347,400$224 larger · 5 min longer commute
Brooklyn, WI 53521 88%993$108,036$391,100$263 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Kasota, MN 56050 88%1,202$90,000$342,700$211 Very close on everything we compare
Malcolm, NE 68402 88%1,398$123,000$449,000$241 pricier homes ($101K more)
Fairfield, VT 05455 87%177$110,147$335,800$209 Very close on everything we compare
Franklin, VT 05457 87%176$96,875$279,200$297 cheaper homes ($69K less)
North Franklin, CT 06254 87%207$105,000$326,200$246 larger · 5 min longer commute
Modena, NY 12548 87%278$132,083$428,800— pricier homes ($80K more)
Penn Laird, VA 22846 87%613$115,491$450,000$209 pricier homes ($102K more) · newer homes
Brutus, MI 49716 87%749$100,179$307,100$439 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Mantorville, MN 55955 87%1,146$132,524$405,700$240 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Madison Lake, MN 56063 87%1,197$102,391$416,300$297 pricier homes ($68K more) · 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.