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.

Reset

Towns most like North Hero, VT 05474

North Hero: median income $102,143, home value $451,400, $404/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Round Top, TX 78954 94%1,633$103,750$427,300$399 Very close on everything we compare
Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754 92%208$121,591$462,300$353 Very close on everything we compare
Newbury, NH 03255 91%122$117,045$465,000$416 larger
New Preston Marble Dale, CT 06777 91%217$94,643$455,700$390 Very close on everything we compare
Wayne, ME 04284 90%161$93,194$362,800$269 cheaper homes ($89K less)
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837 89%137$119,712$409,600$286 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Marine On Saint Croix, MN 55047 89%953$107,361$497,900$331 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Hebron, NH 03241 88%105$91,375$470,700$371 7 min shorter commute
Pownal, ME 04069 88%166$104,333$436,800$355 younger residents
Diamond Point, NY 12824 87%94$108,533$425,900$266 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
Center Harbor, NH 03226 86%118$107,500$462,800$290 older residents · 6 min shorter commute
Bowdoinham, ME 04008 86%176$108,479$405,500$330 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Georgetown, ME 04548 86%189$84,250$427,200$321 more renters
Salisbury, NH 03268 85%126$111,818$363,200$268 cheaper homes ($88K less)
North Garden, VA 22959 85%552$95,461$548,800$414 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Kewadin, MI 49648 85%590$93,272$633,500$414 pricier homes ($182K more) · larger
Silver Lake, NH 03875 84%122$115,583$371,100$250 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Morris, CT 06763 84%218$109,853$394,200$257 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · older homes
Cedar, MI 49621 84%613$95,446$396,600$278 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Suttons Bay, MI 49682 84%605$97,813$396,500$369 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Lake Park, MN 56554 84%1,102$94,792$376,400$307 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · younger residents
Black Hawk, CO 80422 84%1,669$95,625$588,800$342 pricier homes ($137K more) · larger
Becket, MA 01223 83%171$86,818$363,600$258 cheaper homes ($88K less) · larger
East Haddam, CT 06423 83%237$107,549$373,700$306 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Olivebridge, NY 12461 83%211$112,273$431,400$319 younger residents

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.