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 Saint Michaels, MD 21663

Saint Michaels: median income $89,775, home value $650,500, $438/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 92%423$94,349$548,600$347 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Nags Head, NC 27959 92%203$91,264$490,800$424 cheaper homes ($160K less)
Meredith, NH 03253 90%415$84,719$482,700$354 cheaper homes ($168K less) · larger
New Buffalo, MI 49117 90%592$75,114$488,000$351 cheaper homes ($163K less)
Brewster, MA 02631 89%384$102,132$700,500$488 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Red Lodge, MT 59068 89%1,741$80,962$438,700$366 cheaper homes ($212K less)
South Dennis, MA 02660 88%378$93,386$559,600$549 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · older residents
Camden, ME 04843 88%526$82,344$520,600$375 cheaper homes ($130K less)
Leavenworth, WA 98826 88%2,287$87,646$720,000$411 pricier homes ($70K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 87%375$110,450$607,900$424 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · more homeowners
Eliot, ME 03903 87%413$101,522$498,900$363 cheaper homes ($152K less) · larger · younger residents
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 87%250$94,859$483,100$472 cheaper homes ($167K less) · larger
Dennis, MA 02638 86%378$108,726$827,900$478 pricier homes ($177K more)
Edisto Island, SC 29438 86%488$86,979$642,400$452 older residents
Kewadin, MI 49648 86%636$93,272$633,500$414 5 min longer commute
Bigfork, MT 59911 86%1,982$83,019$666,400$456 larger · newer homes
Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 86%1,604$71,556$545,200$432 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller
Harwich, MA 02645 85%382$104,401$648,200$483 larger
Washington Depot, CT 06794 85%250$96,979$733,100$431 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · younger residents
Bend, OR 97707 85%2,350$85,272$647,600$432 larger · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Sisters, OR 97759 85%2,342$102,734$777,700$425 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger · newer homes
Eastsound, WA 98245 85%2,388$95,811$772,600$590 pricier homes ($122K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Freeland, WA 98249 85%2,374$99,519$627,400$404 7 min longer commute
Great Barrington, MA 01230 84%280$86,694$527,300$378 cheaper homes ($123K less) · larger · younger residents
Kent, CT 06757 84%250$95,186$406,100$436 cheaper homes ($244K less) · smaller

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.