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 Searsport, ME 04974

Searsport: median income $64,303, home value $224,400, $290/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rockford, TN 37853 98%990$69,075$221,500$284 Very close on everything we compare
Lapwai, ID 83540 91%2,288$62,963$205,100$256 7 min shorter commute
Whitefield, NH 03598 90%132$67,179$227,600$224 older residents
Onamia, MN 56359 90%1,204$59,457$232,200$223 Very close on everything we compare
Viborg, SD 57070 90%1,401$61,522$215,800$230 smaller
Plummer, ID 83851 90%2,276$57,356$251,200$290 pricier homes ($27K more) · younger residents
Gerber, CA 96035 90%2,691$49,760$237,900$258 Very close on everything we compare
Strattanville, PA 16258 89%572$55,188$183,800— cheaper homes ($41K less)
Parsonsburg, MD 21849 89%540$71,211$249,200$213 Very close on everything we compare
Weyauwega, WI 54983 89%985$71,094$229,700$251 larger
Tonasket, WA 98855 89%2,369$60,179$257,800$209 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Erskine, MN 56535 88%1,310$65,536$233,600$336 smaller · more single-family homes
Pittsfield, NH 03263 87%146$74,318$294,800$241 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Melfa, VA 23410 87%591$54,050$195,100$193 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Shawsville, VA 24162 87%779$73,348$161,200$202 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Lomira, WI 53048 87%969$74,464$239,700$232 newer homes
Broadus, MT 59317 87%1,764$71,250$197,400— cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller
Salina, UT 84654 87%2,222$64,015$287,500$186 pricier homes ($63K more)
Los Molinos, CA 96055 87%2,688$59,798$305,200$194 pricier homes ($81K more)
Siletz, OR 97380 87%2,651$60,132$277,200— pricier homes ($53K more) · newer homes
Inchelium, WA 99138 87%2,329$50,833$218,100— smaller
Stuyvesant, NY 12173 86%283$76,607$225,600$228 younger residents
Timberville, VA 22853 86%649$67,083$245,800$248 larger · 6 min longer commute
South Rockwood, MI 48179 86%739$77,095$232,800$226 5 min longer commute
Fairview, MT 59221 86%1,690$77,115$243,600$230 Very close on everything we compare

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.