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 Lubec, ME 04652

Lubec: median income $52,083, home value $187,800, $221/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Port Austin, MI 48467 93%788$53,750$172,500$189 larger
East Concord, NY 14055 88%600$51,089$203,300$200 Very close on everything we compare
Alma, WI 54610 88%1,213$61,563$207,000$194 younger residents
Hopwood, PA 15445 87%731$47,955$179,000$140 larger
Meadows Of Dan, VA 24120 87%897$46,901$205,200$220 Very close on everything we compare
Keosauqua, IA 52565 87%1,290$62,992$149,000$202 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Lake Luzerne, NY 12846 86%354$46,344$221,100$208 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · younger residents
Lexington, MI 48450 86%776$52,962$198,100$210 larger · 5 min longer commute
Loyalton, CA 96118 86%2,694$54,167$243,800$229 pricier homes ($56K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Prattsville, NY 12468 85%409$51,875$241,100$278 pricier homes ($53K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Monterey, VA 24465 85%787$61,379$202,500$357 Very close on everything we compare
Cameron, WV 26033 84%773$55,972$153,600— cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
Del Norte, CO 81132 84%2,083$55,000$209,500$235 larger · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 83%326$56,771$183,900$255 younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Willsboro, NY 12996 83%315$69,766$237,900$207 pricier homes ($50K more)
Lake Linden, MI 49945 83%1,028$59,453$159,100$162 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · younger residents
Conover, WI 54519 83%1,075$59,628$271,600$271 pricier homes ($84K more) · newer homes
Grayland, WA 98547 83%2,687$42,400$215,200$229 pricier homes ($27K more)
Chelsea, VT 05038 82%275$62,000$254,800$154 pricier homes ($67K more) · 6 min longer commute
Middleburgh, NY 12122 82%398$55,875$174,300$162 larger · younger residents
Sterling, NY 13156 82%490$64,063$162,500$168 cheaper homes ($25K less) · younger residents · older homes
Cape Vincent, NY 13618 82%460$61,494$228,700$143 pricier homes ($41K more) · newer homes
Westover, MD 21871 82%650$50,524$185,900$189 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Fancy Gap, VA 24328 82%911$56,659$165,100$165 older residents · newer homes
State Road, NC 28676 82%933$60,833$242,600$191 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger · younger residents

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.