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 Fairfax, VT 05454

Fairfax: median income $128,212, home value $372,400, $286/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salem, CT 06420 93%224$123,425$405,800$245 pricier homes ($33K more)
Barrington, NH 03825 92%143$110,323$399,100$316 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Shepherdstown, WV 25443 90%439$111,593$414,500$212 pricier homes ($42K more)
Huxley, IA 50124 90%1,050$114,904$305,200$258 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Delano, MN 55328 90%1,015$114,158$409,800$197 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Lee, NH 03861 89%148$131,579$480,600$281 pricier homes ($108K more) · older residents
Hebron, CT 06248 89%210$134,435$376,200$239 older residents
Woodstock, CT 06281 89%196$125,778$428,800$261 pricier homes ($56K more) · older residents
Bogart, GA 30622 89%929$133,563$397,700$221 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Granger, IA 50109 89%1,064$118,669$370,100$251 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Ashburnham, MA 01430 88%151$118,683$391,700$275 Very close on everything we compare
Standish, ME 04084 88%140$109,345$351,200$303 Very close on everything we compare
Schnecksville, PA 18078 88%307$120,857$385,400$205 more walkable
Barboursville, VA 22923 88%525$118,125$392,100$213 Very close on everything we compare
Elburn, IL 60119 88%799$130,722$402,300$215 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger · older residents
Basehor, KS 66007 88%1,187$121,266$381,200$209 larger
Deerfield, NH 03037 87%139$130,371$424,000$293 pricier homes ($52K more) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
New Boston, NH 03070 87%136$154,000$480,300$284 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($108K more) · 6 min longer commute
Holderness, NH 03245 87%96$107,863$363,100$273 smaller
Madbury, NH 03823 87%148$148,365$476,900$295 pricier homes ($105K more) · smaller
East Granby, CT 06026 87%191$119,375$388,000$233 older residents · older homes
Jefferson, MD 21755 87%435$137,417$529,600$241 pricier homes ($157K more) · older residents
Hammond, WI 54015 87%950$114,293$326,500$241 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Pepperell, MA 01463 86%157$123,911$482,100$298 pricier homes ($110K more) · larger
Hope Valley, RI 02832 86%229$105,976$432,300$270 pricier homes ($60K more)

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.