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 North Troy, VT 05859

North Troy: median income $84,813, home value $232,200, $141/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sturgeon Lake, MN 55783 94%987$82,421$267,000$157 pricier homes ($35K more)
Bradley, ME 04411 93%186$76,667$201,800$152 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Glendale, KY 42740 93%861$88,066$238,900$105 Very close on everything we compare
Reedsville, WV 26547 92%532$76,084$204,000$178 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Hope Hull, AL 36043 92%1,154$73,571$195,800$125 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Wartrace, TN 37183 92%978$81,126$245,300$180 larger
Shellsburg, IA 52332 92%991$92,708$198,000$155 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Julian, PA 16844 91%394$85,147$228,300$113 Very close on everything we compare
Boyne Falls, MI 49713 91%608$82,563$244,000$153 Very close on everything we compare
West Monroe, NY 13167 90%214$85,294$176,200$189 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Orangeville, PA 17859 90%332$75,515$224,800$118 older homes
Red House, WV 25168 90%658$101,660$207,200$154 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Laceys Spring, AL 35754 90%1,040$96,071$201,800$159 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Belmont, OH 43718 90%552$92,576$228,000$146 more single-family homes
Springville, PA 18844 89%283$92,750$246,300— smaller · more single-family homes
Spout Spring, VA 24593 89%622$79,018$243,900$195 more single-family homes
Tobaccoville, NC 27050 89%731$88,750$188,700$195 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Cameron, SC 29030 89%900$80,313$198,600$148 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Ochlocknee, GA 31773 89%1,151$80,125$196,300$143 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Eva, AL 35621 89%1,054$78,633$214,000$157 larger · younger residents
Chatom, AL 36518 89%1,261$87,768$168,500$131 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Cerulean, KY 42215 89%965$83,098$201,300— cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller
Solsberry, IN 47459 89%835$76,061$244,100$158 larger
New Bloomfield, MO 65063 89%1,096$77,957$228,100$135 larger · more single-family homes
Highlandville, MO 65669 89%1,215$86,932$243,800$162 more single-family 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.