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 Thomaston, ME 04861

Thomaston: median income $56,435, home value $271,700, $237/sq ft, 14-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 87%219$56,771$183,900$255 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Lead, SD 57754 82%1,706$66,250$218,000$288 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 7 min longer commute
Bisbee, AZ 85603 80%2,362$47,680$207,600$208 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Loyalton, CA 96118 80%2,601$54,167$243,800$229 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · newer homes
Ely, MN 55731 79%1,115$62,008$206,000$274 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · newer homes
Deadwood, SD 57732 79%1,697$43,636$232,300$241 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller · newer homes
Scobey, MT 59263 79%1,738$53,875$190,600— cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · younger residents
Anaconda, MT 59711 79%2,113$58,157$237,200$189 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · younger residents
Del Norte, CO 81132 79%1,977$55,000$209,500$235 cheaper homes ($62K less) · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Harborcreek, PA 16421 78%558$64,091$224,200$184 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Peckville, PA 18452 78%371$56,438$203,100$175 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger · younger residents
Weaverville, CA 96093 78%2,703$65,741$339,500$225 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · more walkable
Etna, CA 96027 77%2,687$64,308$312,700$236 pricier homes ($41K more) · younger residents · newer homes
North Clarendon, VT 05759 76%191$58,150$209,100$199 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Ortonville, MN 56278 76%1,336$63,203$202,800$144 cheaper homes ($69K less) · younger residents
Mccloud, CA 96057 76%2,649$50,179$332,800$216 pricier homes ($61K more) · smaller · older residents
Willsboro, NY 12996 74%209$69,766$237,900$207 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 10 min longer commute
South Bend, WA 98586 74%2,604$50,893$261,000$213 smaller · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
East Tawas, MI 48730 73%707$49,823$157,200$172 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger · newer homes
Windsor, VT 05089 72%166$55,633$228,100$242 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · younger residents
State Road, NC 28676 72%814$60,833$242,600$191 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Elk Rapids, MI 49629 72%800$65,302$394,600$333 pricier homes ($123K more) · newer homes
Saint Germain, WI 54558 72%997$59,718$261,000$345 newer homes
Hendricks, MN 56136 72%1,340$68,281$225,600$133 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller · newer homes
Eads, CO 81036 72%1,763$59,868$173,300— cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · 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.