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 Grand Isle, VT 05458

Grand Isle: median income $101,728, home value $403,200, $297/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Olivebridge, NY 12461 95%202$112,273$431,400$319 pricier homes ($28K more)
Chichester, NH 03258 94%139$108,906$410,100$271 Very close on everything we compare
Sanbornton, NH 03269 92%117$107,083$450,000$319 pricier homes ($47K more)
Brimfield, MA 01010 91%188$111,250$389,100$247 larger
Hope Valley, RI 02832 91%236$105,976$432,300$270 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Warner, NH 03278 91%122$94,783$356,900$257 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Madison Lake, MN 56063 91%1,010$102,391$416,300$297 7 min shorter commute
Springville, CA 93265 91%2,432$99,350$467,700$223 pricier homes ($65K more)
Wyoming, RI 02898 90%237$119,038$424,300$300 Very close on everything we compare
Epsom, NH 03234 90%142$97,941$338,400$251 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger
Holderness, NH 03245 90%108$107,863$363,100$273 cheaper homes ($40K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Pownal, ME 04069 90%164$104,333$436,800$355 pricier homes ($34K more) · older homes
Salem, CT 06420 90%229$123,425$405,800$245 larger
New Glarus, WI 53574 90%824$106,508$335,700$205 cheaper homes ($68K less) · larger
Williamsburg, MA 01096 89%162$104,375$374,900$248 cheaper homes ($28K less) · older homes
Beacon Falls, CT 06403 89%227$101,516$350,300$279 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · older residents
Horse Shoe, NC 28742 89%811$99,007$414,600$237 6 min shorter commute
Merrimac, WI 53561 89%815$91,103$427,600$251 Very close on everything we compare
Lake Park, MN 56554 89%1,103$94,792$376,400$307 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Bonner, MT 59823 89%1,938$82,813$474,100$349 pricier homes ($71K more)
Center Tuftonboro, NH 03816 88%124$88,971$426,700$300 Very close on everything we compare
Gray, ME 04039 88%157$95,125$357,500$270 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Pomfret Center, CT 06259 88%208$108,476$401,700$267 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Templeton, MA 01468 87%162$113,427$384,500$271 larger
Deerfield, NH 03037 87%150$130,371$424,000$293 higher income ($29K 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.