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 Shelburne, VT 05482

Shelburne: median income $115,963, home value $588,100, $310/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Slingerlands, NY 12159 92%125$128,306$449,900$254 cheaper homes ($138K less)
Tucson, AZ 85718 90%2,183$114,892$712,400$308 pricier homes ($124K more) · larger
Lake Bluff, IL 60044 87%749$134,724$599,900$331 younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Freeport, ME 04032 86%159$107,326$508,400$372 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Cary, NC 27518 86%666$123,488$632,200$257 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · newer homes
Mequon, WI 53092 86%740$128,156$473,300$250 cheaper homes ($115K less) · larger
Brookfield, WI 53045 85%750$123,750$457,700$241 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger
Minneapolis, MN 55436 85%989$144,129$643,400$292 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
Pittsburgh, PA 15238 84%431$116,575$491,700$251 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Nashotah, WI 53058 83%762$104,444$584,900$280 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Hadley, MA 01035 82%144$119,259$511,000$341 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller · younger residents
Farmington, CT 06032 82%185$140,912$445,400$268 cheaper homes ($143K less) · larger · younger residents
Lexington, KY 40513 82%736$128,013$497,600$201 cheaper homes ($91K less) · younger residents
Delafield, WI 53018 82%763$124,595$521,400$284 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Tucson, AZ 85750 82%2,180$102,836$585,300$281 larger · older residents
Saint Louis, MO 63127 81%975$122,663$583,400$233 smaller
Leawood, KS 66209 81%1,162$143,393$598,200$206 higher income ($27K more) · larger
Portsmouth, RI 02871 80%217$116,831$597,000$392 larger · older homes
Scarborough, ME 04074 80%153$135,018$556,800$413 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
East Lyme, CT 06333 80%215$129,083$439,000$273 cheaper homes ($149K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Newtown Square, PA 19073 80%324$134,839$610,300$279 larger · 5 min longer commute
Chapel Hill, NC 27517 80%660$128,683$608,100$284 larger · younger residents · newer homes
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 80%1,081$124,558$792,600$386 pricier homes ($205K more) · larger · more homeowners
Minneapolis, MN 55442 80%991$123,859$460,100$190 cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger · younger residents
Boise, ID 83712 80%2,111$105,574$859,000$416 pricier homes ($271K 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.