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.

Reset

Towns most like Rockport, ME 04856

Rockport: median income $86,979, home value $469,000, $293/sq ft, 11-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Grand Marais, MN 55604 84%1,046$73,427$352,500$369 cheaper homes ($117K less) · older residents
Saratoga, WY 82331 83%1,900$95,610$363,800$206 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Manchester Center, VT 05255 82%210$91,058$445,500$270 more apartments and townhomes
Sheffield, MA 01257 81%259$102,788$441,000$299 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 80%889$73,784$432,200$406 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · older residents
Bayside, CA 95524 80%2,757$87,500$601,600$413 pricier homes ($133K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Winchester, OR 97495 80%2,657$77,986$451,300$255 smaller · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Millville, UT 84326 79%2,144$91,971$494,600$207 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Twisp, WA 98856 79%2,409$70,089$484,600$320 less walkable
Putney, VT 05346 78%189$79,118$320,800$202 cheaper homes ($148K less) · 9 min longer commute
Hinesburg, VT 05461 78%199$109,712$460,200$315 9 min longer commute
Saint Regis, MT 59866 78%2,199$73,462$343,700$304 cheaper homes ($125K less) · smaller
Paonia, CO 81428 78%2,007$75,799$432,700$279 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 9 min longer commute · less walkable
Marmora, NJ 08223 77%445$107,131$420,300$272 cheaper homes ($49K less) · 10 min longer commute
South Beach, OR 97366 77%2,662$85,577$541,400$366 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Spofford, NH 03462 76%188$115,313$396,200$210 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
East Montpelier, VT 05651 76%169$103,393$393,500$201 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · younger residents
Chattanooga, TN 37419 76%1,070$74,787$351,800$245 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Midway, KY 40347 76%910$85,270$354,000$203 cheaper homes ($115K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Grand Junction, CO 81507 76%2,053$107,528$515,500$298 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Franconia, NH 03580 75%132$91,250$497,100$243 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · older residents
Joseph, OR 97846 75%2,326$71,471$383,200$341 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · older residents
Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 16865 74%513$77,717$270,700$208 cheaper homes ($198K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Harbor Springs, MI 49740 74%784$89,250$363,500$312 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger · older residents
Kansas City, MO 64145 74%1,363$95,159$370,100$170 cheaper homes ($99K less) · 9 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.