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 Wiscasset, ME 04578

Wiscasset: median income $81,063, home value $327,400, $234/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Deerwood, MN 56444 97%1,185$77,500$365,200$238 pricier homes ($38K more)
Pelican Rapids, MN 56572 96%1,288$79,475$298,800$226 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 95%916$71,383$341,400$248 Very close on everything we compare
Spring Green, WI 53588 95%1,019$83,417$292,300$232 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Harmony, PA 16037 94%576$93,077$348,200$205 Very close on everything we compare
Landisville, PA 17538 94%439$86,719$299,300$188 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Spring Mills, PA 16875 93%457$71,250$307,700$211 Very close on everything we compare
Hardy, VA 24101 93%708$87,112$314,500$232 Very close on everything we compare
Micanopy, FL 32667 93%1,218$81,659$258,300$197 cheaper homes ($69K less)
North Bend, OH 45052 93%845$101,165$304,900$264 Very close on everything we compare
Amery, WI 54001 93%1,116$80,344$286,800$200 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Winneconne, WI 54986 93%943$93,189$300,900$228 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Custer, SD 57730 93%1,670$83,469$378,800$279 pricier homes ($51K more) · older residents
Athens, NY 12015 92%240$91,845$306,300$226 Very close on everything we compare
Centre Hall, PA 16828 92%463$76,468$273,800$192 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Oley, PA 19547 92%400$89,948$357,900$213 pricier homes ($31K more) · younger residents
Mazomanie, WI 53560 92%1,004$98,409$358,000$228 pricier homes ($31K more)
Garretson, SD 57030 92%1,331$79,375$327,400$214 smaller
Chester, VT 05143 91%154$70,610$255,200$230 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Bristol, VT 05443 91%168$88,594$356,600$238 pricier homes ($29K more)
Etowah, NC 28729 91%910$84,413$321,000$244 younger residents
Black Earth, WI 53515 91%1,003$92,625$361,300$218 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Amherst, WI 54406 91%970$77,533$284,800$186 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Green Lake, WI 54941 91%958$79,146$276,000$239 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Nevis, MN 56467 91%1,230$74,297$318,000$263 smaller

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.