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 Rangeley, ME 04970

Rangeley: median income $60,882, home value $422,500, $350/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cable, WI 54821 86%995$57,813$321,400$268 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Deltaville, VA 23043 85%590$70,625$420,600$315 younger residents · more homeowners
Hackensack, MN 56452 84%1,149$62,941$352,700$300 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger · more homeowners
Three Lakes, WI 54562 83%896$57,422$326,300$370 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Crosslake, MN 56442 83%1,131$79,896$479,800$349 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
Freedom, NH 03836 82%82$66,136$389,000$344 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Warwick, MD 21912 81%464$69,868$391,700$259 cheaper homes ($31K less) · younger residents
Garden Valley, ID 83622 80%2,196$65,625$576,800$332 pricier homes ($154K more) · larger · more homeowners
Point Roberts, WA 98281 80%2,436$78,125$483,900$270 pricier homes ($61K more) · younger residents
Swan Lake, NY 12783 79%306$67,778$248,200$251 cheaper homes ($174K less) · less walkable
Urbanna, VA 23175 79%592$66,858$369,000$215 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger · older homes
Townsend, TN 37882 79%940$69,012$344,500$315 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger · less walkable
Mercer, WI 54547 79%940$63,500$306,600$296 cheaper homes ($116K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Waldport, OR 97394 79%2,573$60,660$374,200$301 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger
Swanton, MD 21561 78%579$73,858$328,700$295 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · younger residents
Kinsale, VA 22488 78%567$45,313$431,300$232 Very close on everything we compare
Dauphin Island, AL 36528 78%1,389$67,206$432,200$312 larger · more homeowners
Happy Jack, AZ 86024 78%2,246$73,421$526,000$321 pricier homes ($104K more) · more homeowners
Brinnon, WA 98320 78%2,454$55,893$285,200$399 cheaper homes ($137K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Tamworth, NH 03886 77%82$74,450$368,200$274 cheaper homes ($54K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Lake Lure, NC 28746 77%893$70,469$470,700$313 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger · more homeowners
Saluda, NC 28773 77%910$70,703$413,700$319 larger · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
Tower, MN 55790 77%1,045$77,232$328,900$339 cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Sheridan, MT 59749 77%1,999$80,238$382,400$332 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · younger residents
Cedaredge, CO 81413 77%1,942$58,465$355,800$245 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger · 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.