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 Blue Hill, ME 04614

Blue Hill: median income $80,377, home value $399,500, $276/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tiger, GA 30576 95%1,029$81,417$324,900$245 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Sublimity, OR 97385 93%2,614$84,796$494,600$308 pricier homes ($95K more)
Dolores, CO 81323 92%2,114$75,393$392,000$291 larger
Mc Henry, MD 21541 91%648$82,955$342,500$258 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Deerwood, MN 56444 91%1,229$77,500$365,200$238 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Paonia, CO 81428 91%2,031$75,799$432,700$279 pricier homes ($33K more) · older homes
Cascade, ID 83611 91%2,283$77,411$429,400$335 pricier homes ($30K more)
New Haven, VT 05472 90%228$92,537$378,000$217 Very close on everything we compare
Cornville, AZ 86325 90%2,372$74,679$442,800$272 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · older residents
Thornton, NH 03285 89%156$90,022$351,900$254 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Blue Mounds, WI 53517 89%1,063$84,722$445,000$193 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller
Moyie Springs, ID 83845 89%2,242$72,695$373,700$325 cheaper homes ($26K less)
Harmony, PA 16037 88%636$93,077$348,200$205 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Manteo, NC 27954 88%698$80,587$418,400$374 larger
Madison Lake, MN 56063 88%1,243$102,391$416,300$297 Very close on everything we compare
Garretson, SD 57030 88%1,381$79,375$327,400$214 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Linn Creek, MO 65052 88%1,321$87,125$350,700$191 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Oakhurst, CA 93644 88%2,667$81,196$396,300$250 larger
Cove, OR 97824 88%2,373$80,263$413,700$267 8 min longer commute
Oley, PA 19547 87%461$89,948$357,900$213 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Afton, VA 22920 87%695$88,028$410,000$311 6 min longer commute
Etowah, NC 28729 87%972$84,413$321,000$244 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Horse Shoe, NC 28742 87%969$99,007$414,600$237 5 min longer commute
Pisgah Forest, NC 28768 87%977$71,383$341,400$248 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Chattanooga, TN 37419 87%1,100$74,787$351,800$245 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 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.