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 Waterbury, VT 05676

Waterbury: median income $92,773, home value $380,800, $269/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Zelienople, PA 16063 94%448$95,893$339,000$246 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Lake Mills, WI 53551 92%809$94,401$357,400$229 larger
Rochester, NH 03839 91%117$88,346$335,600$288 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Getzville, NY 14068 90%312$98,750$365,300$221 larger · older residents
Montague, MA 01351 89%125$98,229$346,900$247 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Grafton, WI 53024 89%758$92,390$366,300$244 larger
South Berwick, ME 03908 87%126$98,289$425,700$274 pricier homes ($45K more)
East Greenbush, NY 12061 87%129$110,962$343,800$264 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Lansing, NY 14882 87%225$91,960$318,700$214 cheaper homes ($62K less) · less walkable
Lake Orion, MI 48359 87%537$93,125$350,100$186 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Mount Horeb, WI 53572 87%851$108,750$416,700$217 pricier homes ($36K more) · larger
Prescott, WI 54021 87%981$97,321$365,300$198 Very close on everything we compare
Plainville, MA 02762 86%177$104,106$476,000$337 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger
Deep River, CT 06417 86%206$90,253$362,200$286 older residents
Highland, NY 12528 86%192$92,462$366,400$270 larger · 6 min longer commute
Spring City, PA 19475 86%321$97,146$399,500$236 larger · older homes
Cross Plains, WI 53528 86%845$106,823$436,100$232 pricier homes ($55K more)
Prairie Du Sac, WI 53578 86%847$105,610$347,000$226 cheaper homes ($34K less)
De Soto, KS 66018 86%1,201$105,357$422,500$207 pricier homes ($42K more)
Gray, ME 04039 85%125$95,125$357,500$270 larger · more homeowners
Topsham, ME 04086 85%143$91,028$360,800$296 larger · older residents
Broad Brook, CT 06016 85%169$120,399$335,400$225 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($45K less)
Lumberton, NJ 08048 85%320$113,440$432,100$232 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
Pleasant Valley, NY 12569 85%187$100,846$380,100$246 larger · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Dryden, NY 13053 85%218$83,021$244,000$202 cheaper homes ($137K less)

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.