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 Rutland, VT 05701

Rutland: median income $61,610, home value $217,700, $192/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Greenfield, MA 01301 89%72$56,176$265,300$222 pricier homes ($48K more)
New Orleans, LA 70121 87%1,334$59,562$247,900$175 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · younger residents
Pittsfield, MA 01201 85%81$71,093$259,800$211 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger · younger residents
Auburn, NY 13021 85%187$60,712$180,700$144 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · younger residents
Liverpool, NY 13088 85%165$75,378$174,400$195 cheaper homes ($43K less) · newer homes
Buffalo, NY 14227 85%295$68,928$208,800$227 newer homes
Cudahy, WI 53110 85%749$66,719$216,500$203 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Chicopee, MA 01020 83%101$66,009$280,900$244 pricier homes ($63K more)
Rockland, ME 04841 83%195$56,533$245,800$215 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · less walkable
Syracuse, NY 13209 83%168$68,138$161,400$190 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · younger residents
Oneida, NY 13421 83%139$65,752$162,000$136 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Carnegie, PA 15106 83%427$77,247$194,800$180 7 min longer commute
Erie, PA 16505 83%378$72,938$211,700$169 more single-family homes
Saint Francis, WI 53235 83%750$57,368$234,500$237 smaller · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Lincoln, NE 68510 83%1,223$65,951$239,700$156 younger residents
Buffalo, NY 14217 82%300$73,800$207,500$195 younger residents
Mc Kees Rocks, PA 15136 82%425$69,099$184,900$165 cheaper homes ($33K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Superior, WI 54880 82%953$68,275$190,700$170 cheaper homes ($27K less) · younger residents
Turners Falls, MA 01376 81%73$55,652$249,400$223 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Panama City, FL 32401 81%1,161$52,523$230,500$197 younger residents
Lakeland, FL 33803 81%1,188$65,807$250,100$194 pricier homes ($32K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Cincinnati, OH 45224 81%671$56,471$204,000$150 younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Cincinnati, OH 45246 81%666$65,370$205,500$166 smaller · younger residents
Albuquerque, NM 87110 81%1,874$64,892$273,900$202 pricier homes ($56K more) · larger · younger residents
Schenectady, NY 12304 80%74$69,235$179,200$226 cheaper homes ($39K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute

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.