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 Dorset, VT 05251

Dorset: median income $151,163, home value $567,900, $300/sq ft, 16-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
White Rock, NM 87547 87%1,825$156,444$505,900$332 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Kohler, WI 53044 83%737$131,250$386,600$239 cheaper homes ($181K less)
Lyme, NH 03768 80%59$133,906$645,000$357 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Contoocook, NH 03229 77%70$137,386$506,100$287 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Elm Grove, WI 53122 76%756$157,962$514,800$268 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Long Lake, MN 55356 75%1,021$156,622$707,800$295 pricier homes ($140K more) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Greenland, NH 03840 74%113$162,837$662,800$390 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Pine Grove Mills, PA 16868 74%302$180,412$372,900$246 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($195K less) · smaller
Nashville, TN 37220 74%880$180,417$818,200$392 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($250K more) · larger
Mequon, WI 53097 74%750$135,929$499,800$266 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
North Falmouth, MA 02556 73%168$121,810$717,800$491 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($150K more) · larger
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107 73%145$146,054$729,800$426 pricier homes ($162K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Bradfordwoods, PA 15015 73%403$155,208$499,400$168 cheaper homes ($69K less) · older residents · older homes
Cincinnati, OH 45243 72%649$171,172$627,000$288 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Saunderstown, RI 02874 71%147$159,861$713,700$396 pricier homes ($146K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Earlysville, VA 22936 71%452$142,338$589,400$251 larger · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Cumberland Center, ME 04021 70%146$172,468$579,000$388 larger · 9 min longer commute
Cataumet, MA 02534 69%167$137,066$685,600$407 pricier homes ($118K more) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Newfields, NH 03856 69%107$197,885$646,400$371 higher income ($47K more) · pricier homes ($79K more) · 10 min longer commute
West Simsbury, CT 06092 69%97$204,458$486,900$254 higher income ($53K more) · cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger
Birmingham, AL 35223 69%998$168,278$775,100$284 pricier homes ($207K more) · larger · older residents
Huntington Woods, MI 48070 69%514$190,150$473,900$262 higher income ($39K more) · cheaper homes ($94K less) · larger
Maple Plain, MN 55359 69%1,027$129,250$537,300$248 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Minneapolis, MN 55439 69%1,011$168,693$649,800$268 pricier homes ($82K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Leawood, KS 66206 69%1,156$174,394$672,100$289 pricier homes ($104K more) · 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.