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 Monterey, VA 24465

Monterey: median income $61,379, home value $202,500, $357/sq ft, 22-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Machiasport, ME 04655 92%764$60,000$177,100$265 cheaper homes ($25K less)
East Meredith, NY 13757 92%371$73,523$225,000$346 Very close on everything we compare
Conover, WI 54519 90%721$59,628$271,600$271 pricier homes ($69K more)
Penobscot, ME 04476 89%701$63,194$296,400$280 pricier homes ($94K more)
Cook, MN 55723 89%927$64,526$189,700$307 older residents
Goshen, NH 03752 88%516$70,417$255,600$332 pricier homes ($53K more)
Milbridge, ME 04658 88%738$60,536$240,400$262 pricier homes ($38K more)
Minong, WI 54859 88%820$55,882$225,300$336 larger · newer homes
Lisbon, NH 03585 87%566$68,594$233,700$250 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · younger residents
Deer Isle, ME 04627 87%695$61,703$299,500$278 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger
Burwell, NE 68823 87%1,055$61,974$174,100— cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
Concord, VT 05824 86%578$72,500$162,800$385 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Penn Run, PA 15765 86%156$73,646$186,000— 5 min longer commute
Central Lake, MI 49622 86%545$70,098$234,400$278 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Lake Tomahawk, WI 54539 86%723$62,841$282,200$246 pricier homes ($80K more)
Lake Preston, SD 57249 86%1,007$63,182$193,300— Very close on everything we compare
Crawford, CO 81415 86%1,508$59,141$330,900$333 pricier homes ($128K more)
Lubec, ME 04652 85%787$52,083$187,800$221 Very close on everything we compare
Schroon Lake, NY 12870 85%482$72,628$268,700$382 pricier homes ($66K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Saint Germain, WI 54558 85%724$59,718$261,000$345 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Loyalton, CA 96118 85%2,164$54,167$243,800$229 pricier homes ($41K more)
Prattsville, NY 12468 84%384$51,875$241,100$278 pricier homes ($39K more) · 7 min longer commute
Elizabethtown, NY 12932 84%508$56,771$183,900$255 6 min shorter commute · older homes
Irving, NY 14081 84%289$65,778$124,200$291 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
West Middlesex, PA 16159 84%197$69,391$178,000— larger

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.