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 Saint Albans, VT 05478

Saint Albans: median income $71,203, home value $316,400, $224/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newark, DE 19713 95%380$76,493$292,600$215 larger
Absecon, NJ 08201 93%379$71,321$287,000$226 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Tampa, FL 33634 93%1,273$74,291$346,400$272 pricier homes ($30K more)
Spokane, WA 99212 93%2,093$67,049$361,500$211 pricier homes ($45K more)
Gettysburg, PA 17325 92%404$80,948$287,200$191 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger
Pensacola, FL 32504 92%1,251$72,672$275,800$179 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Shawnee, KS 66203 92%1,177$75,869$254,900$222 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Metairie, LA 70006 92%1,382$76,505$344,800$167 pricier homes ($28K more)
Crescent City, CA 95531 92%2,533$67,458$351,400$247 pricier homes ($35K more)
Madras, OR 97741 92%2,323$70,983$334,800$247 Very close on everything we compare
Sanford, ME 04073 91%150$72,917$282,900$269 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Milford, DE 19963 91%424$71,108$322,500$221 larger · newer homes
Chesapeake, VA 23325 91%576$69,909$272,000$235 cheaper homes ($44K less) · younger residents
Portsmouth, VA 23703 91%575$78,707$295,900$200 larger · younger residents
Pensacola, FL 32507 91%1,261$73,540$318,200$242 larger · newer homes
Pinellas Park, FL 33782 91%1,285$66,461$300,500$221 older residents
Nashville, TN 37218 91%934$61,919$349,900$261 pricier homes ($34K more)
Cottage Grove, OR 97424 91%2,432$79,688$372,500$275 pricier homes ($56K more)
Agawam, MA 01001 90%191$75,342$295,700$249 older residents
Plainville, CT 06062 90%217$84,310$253,900$247 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Dallastown, PA 17313 90%384$70,176$237,900$163 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Savannah, GA 31406 90%985$67,120$283,300$217 cheaper homes ($33K less) · larger
Casselberry, FL 32707 90%1,204$69,113$329,500$233 larger
Brandon, FL 33510 90%1,270$74,245$328,200$216 larger
Janesville, WI 53546 90%807$75,825$239,400$192 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 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.