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 Norwich, VT 05055

Norwich: median income $142,684, home value $632,400, $331/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Lyme, NH 03768 84%8$133,906$645,000$357 smaller · older residents
Long Lake, MN 55356 79%1,052$156,622$707,800$295 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Falmouth, ME 04105 78%102$150,919$767,500$370 pricier homes ($135K more) · larger · older residents
Hadley, MA 01035 76%96$119,259$511,000$341 cheaper homes ($121K less) · larger
Essex, MA 01929 75%108$156,442$902,000$416 pricier homes ($270K more) · 5 min longer commute · older homes
Glenmont, NY 12077 75%109$118,257$401,700$243 cheaper homes ($231K less) · larger
Minneapolis, MN 55439 75%1,042$168,693$649,800$268 higher income ($26K more) · larger · more homeowners
Lake Bluff, IL 60044 75%791$134,724$599,900$331 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 74%104$146,054$729,800$426 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · older residents
Unionville, CT 06085 74%141$141,023$413,600$263 cheaper homes ($219K less) · larger · more walkable
Stirling, NJ 07980 74%240$162,955$689,200$446 pricier homes ($57K more) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Boxborough, MA 01719 73%95$144,611$706,900$327 pricier homes ($75K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Stratham, NH 03885 73%86$151,998$655,400$349 larger · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Birmingham, AL 35213 72%1,050$159,824$789,800$321 pricier homes ($157K more) · larger · younger residents
Deerfield, MA 01342 71%84$109,205$443,000$209 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($189K less) · smaller
North Falmouth, MA 02556 71%168$121,810$717,800$491 pricier homes ($85K more) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Saunderstown, RI 02874 71%160$159,861$713,700$396 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Cumberland Center, ME 04021 71%102$172,468$579,000$388 higher income ($30K more) · cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger
Birmingham, AL 35223 71%1,049$168,278$775,100$284 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($143K more) · larger
Saint Paul, MN 55115 71%1,020$124,234$488,400$218 cheaper homes ($144K less) · larger
Yarmouth, ME 04096 70%106$110,216$639,700$434 lower income ($32K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Simsbury, CT 06070 70%131$162,424$445,300$264 cheaper homes ($187K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
East Lyme, CT 06333 70%164$129,083$439,000$273 cheaper homes ($193K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Avon, CT 06001 69%138$153,664$476,500$248 cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Maple Plain, MN 55359 69%1,057$129,250$537,300$248 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger · more homeowners

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.