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 Windham, NY 12496

Windham: median income $59,286, home value $314,200, $288/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cedar Key, FL 32625 92%1,031$60,298$322,700$279 older residents
Freedom, NH 03836 89%192$66,136$389,000$344 pricier homes ($75K more)
Barnet, VT 05821 88%176$65,682$260,800$302 cheaper homes ($53K less) · younger residents
Kents Hill, ME 04349 87%256$59,500$257,600$307 cheaper homes ($57K less) · more single-family homes
Oriental, NC 28571 87%520$63,393$372,500$257 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · older residents
Mountain Rest, SC 29664 87%702$51,705$241,800$316 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Cable, WI 54821 87%879$57,813$321,400$268 more single-family homes
Bethel, ME 04217 84%226$61,125$329,700$274 larger · younger residents
Hancock, ME 04640 84%338$71,699$269,100$292 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Three Lakes, WI 54562 84%775$57,422$326,300$370 larger · more single-family homes
Pawlet, VT 05761 82%92$68,125$324,300$271 younger residents · more single-family homes
Swanton, MD 21561 82%326$73,858$328,700$295 larger · more single-family homes
Dauphin Island, AL 36528 82%1,133$67,206$432,200$312 pricier homes ($118K more) · larger
Philipsburg, MT 59858 82%1,930$56,719$380,000$316 pricier homes ($66K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more renters
Crawford, CO 81415 82%1,759$59,141$330,900$333 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Penobscot, ME 04476 81%316$63,194$296,400$280 Very close on everything we compare
Sedgwick, ME 04676 81%315$73,333$336,500$235 younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Kingfield, ME 04947 81%275$70,104$251,900$352 cheaper homes ($62K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Mercer, WI 54547 81%825$63,500$306,600$296 older residents · more single-family homes
Waterford, ME 04088 80%220$63,750$276,800$329 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 6 min longer commute
Todd, NC 28684 80%569$69,307$325,300$309 larger · younger residents · more single-family homes
Maggie Valley, NC 28751 80%667$69,057$313,500$292 larger
Townsend, TN 37882 80%685$69,012$344,500$315 pricier homes ($30K more) · larger
Mears, MI 49436 80%623$67,279$255,000$285 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Casco, ME 04015 79%220$69,313$355,500$316 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · younger residents

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.