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 Hartland, VT 05048

Hartland: median income $99,583, home value $338,800, $234/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Middlefield, CT 06455 91%143$104,180$388,700$274 pricier homes ($50K more)
Brackney, PA 18812 91%210$89,688$271,100$209 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Westmoreland, NH 03467 90%42$104,444$351,800$240 Very close on everything we compare
Cornish, NH 03745 90%6$91,821$296,000$292 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Ceresco, MI 49033 90%649$94,750$326,600$204 younger residents
Elkhart Lake, WI 53020 90%776$89,155$330,900$248 Very close on everything we compare
Larsen, WI 54947 90%811$91,167$280,400$193 cheaper homes ($58K less) · younger residents
Hampden, MA 01036 89%104$104,536$358,200$279 larger · younger residents
Colden, NY 14033 89%323$87,431$338,500$263 smaller
Rocheport, MO 65279 89%1,088$103,516$332,700$211 newer homes
Craryville, NY 12521 88%115$75,652$338,700$290 Very close on everything we compare
Bemus Point, NY 14712 88%365$86,083$236,300$190 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Tillson, NY 12486 87%146$96,964$320,000$293 smaller
Lee Center, NY 13363 87%156$94,432$219,600$208 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Boston, NY 14025 87%326$115,188$267,200$248 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents
Fort Defiance, VA 24437 87%503$87,200$310,100$278 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Newbury, OH 44065 87%472$95,442$285,800$183 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · younger residents
North Bend, OH 45052 87%707$101,165$304,900$264 cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · newer homes
Clarklake, MI 49234 87%612$110,313$295,000$355 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Cobb, CA 95426 87%2,596$84,000$311,900$244 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Westerlo, NY 12193 86%110$108,438$308,100$172 cheaper homes ($31K less) · 6 min longer commute
Chestertown, NY 12817 86%70$93,393$327,600$316 newer homes
Hammondsport, NY 14840 86%254$84,792$245,000$244 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Hager City, WI 54014 86%999$101,667$302,900$208 cheaper homes ($36K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Hazelhurst, WI 54531 86%863$84,286$344,900$286 smaller · 5 min longer commute

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.