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 Searsmont, ME 04973

Searsmont: median income $87,000, home value $284,000, $292/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Freehold, NY 12431 95%279$80,694$262,500$265 Very close on everything we compare
Springville, PA 18844 94%384$92,750$246,300— cheaper homes ($38K less)
Elkhart, IA 50073 94%1,235$100,972$274,700$264 Very close on everything we compare
Audubon, MN 56511 94%1,298$89,875$401,900$261 pricier homes ($118K more)
Franklin, VT 05457 93%185$96,875$279,200$297 Very close on everything we compare
Etowah, NC 28729 93%944$84,413$321,000$244 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Irasburg, VT 05845 92%153$82,262$233,200$197 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Galway, NY 12074 92%258$94,583$304,800$234 larger
Stoutsville, OH 43154 92%771$91,250$250,700$228 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Brussels, WI 54204 92%904$79,803$379,800$299 pricier homes ($96K more)
Wrenshall, MN 55797 92%1,128$87,039$257,400$229 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Wolcott, VT 05680 91%161$72,917$227,700$267 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Portersville, PA 16051 91%603$88,958$215,600$271 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Smithfield, KY 40068 91%927$80,750$325,300$232 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger
Leesburg, IN 46538 91%865$89,803$270,600$234 larger
Brandon, MN 56315 91%1,284$89,514$269,800$246 Very close on everything we compare
Garfield, MN 56332 91%1,279$87,917$281,400$273 Very close on everything we compare
Absarokee, MT 59001 91%1,949$82,692$359,000$271 pricier homes ($75K more)
Agency, MO 64401 91%1,343$99,398$271,900— Very close on everything we compare
Easton, MO 64443 91%1,338$86,042$300,000— more renters
Perkinsville, VT 05151 90%177$96,836$265,600$261 younger residents
Mc Henry, MD 21541 90%618$82,955$342,500$258 pricier homes ($59K more)
Willards, MD 21874 90%521$78,393$236,700$306 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Spout Spring, VA 24593 90%700$79,018$243,900$195 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Efland, NC 27243 90%776$84,348$298,600$270 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.