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 Mount Desert, ME 04660

Mount Desert: median income $78,646, home value $480,600, $430/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bayside, CA 95524 84%2,791$87,500$601,600$413 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger · younger residents
Lake Leelanau, MI 49653 82%856$85,787$669,800$386 pricier homes ($189K more) · larger · older residents
Maple City, MI 49664 82%864$77,500$475,900$410 larger
Hebron, NH 03241 81%180$91,375$470,700$371 Very close on everything we compare
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 81%926$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · newer homes
Franconia, NH 03580 80%171$91,250$497,100$243 Very close on everything we compare
West Stockbridge, MA 01266 79%290$100,417$563,400$359 pricier homes ($83K more) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
New Preston Marble Dale, CT 06777 77%312$94,643$455,700$390 larger · 11 min longer commute
North Garden, VA 22959 77%695$95,461$548,800$414 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · newer homes
Idaho Springs, CO 80452 77%1,923$75,565$449,300$344 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · younger residents
Conway, MA 01341 76%254$97,417$396,400$257 cheaper homes ($84K less) · larger · less walkable
Douglas, MI 49406 76%903$102,500$497,100$426 older residents · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 75%2,012$71,556$545,200$432 pricier homes ($65K more) · older residents
Nags Head, NC 27959 74%699$91,264$490,800$424 larger · older residents · more apartments and townhomes
Grand Marais, MN 55604 74%1,079$73,427$352,500$369 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger · more renters
Three Rivers, CA 93271 74%2,674$85,922$493,900$382 larger · more renters
North Hero, VT 05474 72%247$102,143$451,400$404 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 11 min longer commute
Moretown, VT 05660 72%220$96,125$425,200$274 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Saint Michaels, MD 21663 72%560$89,775$650,500$438 pricier homes ($170K more) · larger · more renters
New Buffalo, MI 49117 72%945$75,114$488,000$351 larger · older residents · more renters
Haydenville, MA 01039 71%259$116,429$423,100$403 higher income ($38K more) · cheaper homes ($58K less) · 6 min longer commute
Leverett, MA 01054 71%247$104,688$435,500$316 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($45K less) · 7 min longer commute
Eastham, MA 02642 71%192$72,992$732,200$546 pricier homes ($252K more) · larger · older residents
New London, NH 03257 71%194$107,000$559,000$346 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($78K more) · larger
Center Harbor, NH 03226 70%163$107,500$462,800$290 higher income ($29K more) · older residents · 5 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.