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 South Thomaston, ME 04858

South Thomaston: median income $87,059, home value $341,300, $378/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hebron, NH 03241 89%136$91,375$470,700$371 pricier homes ($129K more) · 7 min longer commute
Schroon Lake, NY 12870 89%231$72,628$268,700$382 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 88%889$73,784$432,200$406 pricier homes ($91K more)
Glenville, NC 28736 87%960$70,855$428,400$373 pricier homes ($87K more)
Fort Defiance, VA 24437 86%649$87,200$310,100$278 cheaper homes ($31K less) · 6 min longer commute
Maple City, MI 49664 86%826$77,500$475,900$410 pricier homes ($135K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Saint Regis, MT 59866 86%2,201$73,462$343,700$304 Very close on everything we compare
Cornish, NH 03745 85%164$91,821$296,000$292 cheaper homes ($45K less) · 9 min longer commute
Chestertown, NY 12817 84%234$93,393$327,600$316 larger · 7 min longer commute
Pentwater, MI 49449 83%857$80,917$307,300$278 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · older residents
Grand Marais, MN 55604 83%1,048$73,427$352,500$369 larger · more renters
Elwood, NE 68937 83%1,577$85,260$316,800$399 6 min longer commute
Cedarville, MI 49719 82%754$75,156$226,500$294 cheaper homes ($115K less) · older residents
Sheffield, MA 01257 81%252$102,788$441,000$299 pricier homes ($100K more) · larger · more renters
Westmoreland, NH 03467 81%181$104,444$351,800$240 larger · 7 min longer commute
Nisswa, MN 56468 81%1,230$100,300$465,800$372 pricier homes ($125K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Saratoga, WY 82331 81%1,900$95,610$363,800$206 larger · younger residents
Franconia, NH 03580 80%130$91,250$497,100$243 pricier homes ($156K more) · 5 min longer commute
Craryville, NY 12521 80%262$75,652$338,700$290 8 min longer commute
Oldenburg, IN 47036 80%889$98,300$413,700— pricier homes ($72K more) · younger residents
Bellaire, MI 49615 80%794$79,469$292,300$251 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger
Wentworth, SD 57075 80%1,376$106,763$426,800$287 pricier homes ($86K more) · 6 min longer commute
Joseph, OR 97846 80%2,328$71,471$383,200$341 pricier homes ($42K more) · more renters
Salisbury, VT 05769 79%197$99,792$316,000$230 cheaper homes ($25K less) · older homes
Davis, WV 26260 79%633$95,690$236,500$230 cheaper homes ($105K less) · 6 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.