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 Montpelier, VT 05602

Montpelier: median income $81,320, home value $360,000, $259/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Metairie, LA 70005 93%1,375$89,194$430,200$249 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger
Rocky River, OH 44116 92%507$93,799$349,300$246 larger
Minneapolis, MN 55437 90%1,021$95,718$381,700$202 larger
Louisville, KY 40243 89%790$77,587$323,200$196 cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer homes
Saint Louis, MO 63132 89%996$87,385$417,000$270 pricier homes ($57K more) · younger residents
Columbia, SC 29206 88%837$91,847$369,500$215 larger · younger residents
Saint Paul, MN 55113 88%1,010$86,792$350,200$207 larger
Reading, PA 19610 87%322$87,374$343,600$186 Very close on everything we compare
Greendale, WI 53129 87%776$95,012$311,800$231 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Milwaukee, WI 53226 87%776$93,132$335,600$245 larger · younger residents
Madison, WI 53716 87%839$91,716$356,800$254 larger · more single-family homes
Minneapolis, MN 55431 87%1,019$101,484$373,500$207 larger
Hamden, CT 06517 86%202$104,550$339,400$255 older homes
Asheville, NC 28805 86%795$75,151$412,500$281 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · newer homes
Orlando, FL 32806 86%1,191$89,046$441,300$288 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger
Lexington, KY 40502 86%754$76,948$517,900$253 pricier homes ($158K more) · larger
Columbus, OH 43214 86%608$94,183$400,400$290 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger
Pittsburgh, PA 15215 85%455$99,071$311,300$256 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older homes
Columbus, OH 43209 85%608$89,713$392,500$256 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · younger residents
Beachwood, OH 44122 85%492$101,230$328,800$202 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Kansas City, MO 64114 85%1,191$81,275$280,900$218 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Oklahoma City, OK 73116 85%1,447$81,226$321,600$199 cheaper homes ($38K less) · more single-family homes
South Hadley, MA 01075 84%140$93,910$357,900$264 Very close on everything we compare
Richmond, VA 23227 84%524$69,187$364,900$242 larger
Saint Paul, MN 55118 84%1,008$87,340$350,600$205 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.