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 Castleton, VT 05735

Castleton: median income $80,313, home value $211,100, $460/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Groton, SD 57445 84%1,230$84,948$193,800— smaller · less walkable
Oakes, ND 58474 79%1,234$72,969$160,700$342 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents · less walkable
Colby, KS 67701 79%1,465$70,250$177,300— cheaper homes ($34K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Platte, SD 57369 78%1,286$78,100$237,400— pricier homes ($26K more) · 7 min shorter commute · less walkable
Hoxie, KS 67740 76%1,437$75,417$186,600— smaller · less walkable
Stanton, TX 79782 76%1,740$102,986$171,000— cheaper homes ($40K less) · less walkable
Jemez Pueblo, NM 87024 76%1,855$60,727$168,400— cheaper homes ($43K less)
Manson, IA 50563 74%1,078$71,094$161,100$335 cheaper homes ($50K less) · older residents · less walkable
Castlewood, SD 57223 73%1,180$92,424$236,600$315 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Sterling, KS 67579 73%1,354$65,294$158,000— cheaper homes ($53K less) · more single-family homes · older homes
Atkinson, NE 68713 73%1,299$77,500$195,000— smaller · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Eagar, AZ 85925 73%2,033$82,708$248,400$227 pricier homes ($37K more) · less walkable
Port Ewen, NY 12466 72%126$78,182$278,400$276 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller · older residents
Chinook, MT 59523 72%1,744$73,906$218,300— smaller · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Pinedale, WY 82941 72%1,832$91,429$345,700$265 pricier homes ($135K more) · less walkable
Hines, OR 97738 72%2,268$89,071$294,200— pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · older residents
Lima, NY 14485 71%229$80,341$207,400$215 older residents
East Grand Forks, MN 56721 71%1,182$82,525$259,300$235 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
Alpine, TX 79830 71%1,904$66,546$229,400$526 larger · older residents · more renters
Jaffrey, NH 03452 70%80$92,330$245,500$265 pricier homes ($34K more) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Pine Level, NC 27568 70%622$66,071$230,800— smaller · older residents · less walkable
Fort Loramie, OH 45845 70%618$95,078$306,300— pricier homes ($95K more) · more single-family homes · less walkable
Volga, SD 57071 70%1,178$77,138$246,000— pricier homes ($35K more) · more renters · less walkable
Glasgow, MT 59230 70%1,625$85,000$241,000— pricier homes ($30K more) · older residents · 7 min shorter commute
Minoa, NY 13116 69%148$95,506$179,400$194 cheaper homes ($32K 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.