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 Union, ME 04862

Union: median income $73,536, home value $252,300, $246/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wolcott, VT 05680 95%160$72,917$227,700$267 smaller
Rapid City, MI 49676 95%788$75,781$269,300$290 Very close on everything we compare
Rabun Gap, GA 30568 94%986$75,948$273,400$218 smaller
Spring Mills, PA 16875 93%483$71,250$307,700$211 pricier homes ($55K more) · older residents
Little Mountain, SC 29075 93%951$75,884$257,400$217 Very close on everything we compare
Augusta, MI 49012 93%818$73,125$253,900$214 Very close on everything we compare
Cohasset, MN 55721 93%1,187$86,429$302,300$221 pricier homes ($50K more)
Chester, VT 05143 92%179$70,610$255,200$230 older residents
Freehold, NY 12431 92%273$80,694$262,500$265 smaller
Cedar Grove, NC 27231 92%762$64,471$248,900$244 smaller
Sugar Grove, NC 28679 92%861$65,246$287,100$291 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Etowah, NC 28729 92%937$84,413$321,000$244 pricier homes ($69K more)
Sheridan, IN 46069 92%911$76,990$291,900$183 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Leesburg, IN 46538 92%861$89,803$270,600$234 Very close on everything we compare
Addison, MI 49220 92%773$72,500$225,200$190 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Cement City, MI 49233 92%772$81,250$229,600$196 Very close on everything we compare
Interlochen, MI 49643 92%814$81,222$271,300$271 larger
Cedar Grove, WI 53013 92%923$84,375$277,900$236 pricier homes ($26K more)
Lenhartsville, PA 19534 91%422$80,357$293,100$204 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller
Stanardsville, VA 22973 91%630$76,964$284,000$218 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Monroe, VA 24574 91%694$69,133$221,300$213 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Mount Pleasant, NC 28124 91%849$80,778$310,500$224 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger
Oakboro, NC 28129 91%855$69,906$266,800$209 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450 91%844$69,554$264,200$213 smaller
Lawton, MI 49065 91%845$71,447$233,100$219 larger

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.