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 Houlton, WI 54082

Houlton: median income $131,146, home value $476,200, $264/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Rockville, VA 23146 95%928$119,583$464,400$258 larger
Canterbury, NH 03224 94%1,053$138,125$438,500$245 cheaper homes ($38K less)
East Kingston, NH 03827 92%1,089$142,794$600,500$273 pricier homes ($124K more)
Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754 91%995$121,591$462,300$353 older homes
Queenstown, MD 21658 91%948$128,274$483,200$300 larger
Loretto, MN 55357 91%45$152,500$530,200$245 pricier homes ($54K more) · larger
Dunbarton, NH 03046 90%1,055$124,348$484,100$272 Very close on everything we compare
Newbury, NH 03255 89%1,032$117,045$465,000$416 Very close on everything we compare
North Yarmouth, ME 04097 89%1,112$129,267$496,500$340 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Maidens, VA 23102 89%923$126,635$510,200$272 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger
Yalaha, FL 34797 89%1,276$130,227$400,000$204 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller
Wilmot, NH 03287 88%1,034$117,759$399,600$300 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Asbury, NJ 08802 88%945$135,689$461,700$261 larger · more homeowners
Staatsburg, NY 12580 88%969$134,583$403,800$287 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · older homes
Hunt, TX 78024 88%1,103$105,381$500,000$288 lower income ($26K less) · smaller
Sandia Park, NM 87047 88%988$116,630$413,400$262 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Westford, VT 05494 87%966$117,143$412,900$238 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents
Barkhamsted, CT 06063 87%1,015$121,705$373,100$231 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger · older homes
Allentown, NJ 08501 87%981$146,182$588,800$312 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger
Holmes, NY 12531 87%988$129,028$475,400$312 5 min longer commute · older homes
Suffolk, VA 23433 87%1,015$140,114$503,000$217 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Cumming, IA 50061 87%252$130,714$533,800$197 pricier homes ($58K more)
Valleyford, WA 99036 87%1,177$121,518$647,300$262 pricier homes ($171K more)
West Kingston, RI 02892 86%1,088$135,809$490,600$269 larger · younger residents
Hebron, CT 06248 86%1,046$134,435$376,200$239 cheaper homes ($100K less) · 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.