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 South Hero, VT 05486

South Hero: median income $126,513, home value $544,700, $237/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Suffolk, VA 23433 93%559$140,114$503,000$217 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Rexford, NY 12148 86%127$141,984$427,400$309 cheaper homes ($117K less) · larger
Lyme, NH 03768 85%82$133,906$645,000$357 pricier homes ($100K more)
Rock Hill, NY 12775 85%219$112,600$398,400$228 cheaper homes ($146K less) · larger
Afton, MN 55001 85%955$133,581$673,900$243 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger · more homeowners
Wilmot, NH 03287 84%108$117,759$399,600$300 cheaper homes ($145K less) · 8 min longer commute
Franconia, NH 03580 84%83$91,250$497,100$243 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($48K less)
Barkhamsted, CT 06063 84%188$121,705$373,100$231 cheaper homes ($172K less) · larger
Portland, OR 97231 84%2,376$137,527$858,200$268 pricier homes ($314K more) · larger
Leverett, MA 01054 83%155$104,688$435,500$316 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Conway, MA 01341 83%150$97,417$396,400$257 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($148K less)
New London, NH 03257 83%107$107,000$559,000$346 larger
North Yarmouth, ME 04097 83%164$129,267$496,500$340 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · younger residents
Boylston, MA 01505 82%178$140,962$578,600$343 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
Canterbury, NH 03224 82%124$138,125$438,500$245 cheaper homes ($106K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Brownsboro, AL 35741 82%977$124,650$381,900$194 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger
Houlton, WI 54082 82%951$131,146$476,200$264 cheaper homes ($69K less) · 8 min longer commute
Haydenville, MA 01039 81%159$116,429$423,100$403 cheaper homes ($122K less) · older homes
Campton, NH 03223 81%98$118,534$356,400$266 cheaper homes ($188K less) · larger
Andover, CT 06232 81%206$134,632$376,500$249 cheaper homes ($168K less) · larger
Killingworth, CT 06419 81%229$140,655$446,200$281 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger · more homeowners
Wayne, IL 60184 81%773$163,750$642,700$239 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($98K more) · larger
Palmer Lake, CO 80133 81%1,659$120,625$482,500$254 cheaper homes ($62K less) · larger
Laporte, CO 80535 81%1,631$110,945$483,300$309 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Williamsburg, MA 01096 80%156$104,375$374,900$248 cheaper homes ($170K less) · larger · older homes

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.