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 Mason, TX 76856

Mason: median income $74,677, home value $292,400, $158/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Spring Mills, PA 16875 93%1,395$71,250$307,700$211 Very close on everything we compare
Shaftsbury, VT 05262 91%1,657$71,417$253,600$208 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Pittsford, VT 05763 91%1,687$71,833$218,600$186 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Sheridan, IN 46069 91%976$76,990$291,900$183 larger
Amherst, WI 54406 91%1,088$77,533$284,800$186 Very close on everything we compare
Baton Rouge, LA 70818 91%486$78,432$268,200$160 larger
Monmouth, ME 04259 90%1,838$83,919$298,300$208 Very close on everything we compare
Chester, VT 05143 90%1,694$70,610$255,200$230 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Micanopy, FL 32667 90%1,014$81,659$258,300$197 cheaper homes ($34K less) · older residents
Munroe Falls, OH 44262 90%1,223$81,214$250,800$158 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Hamilton, IN 46742 90%1,091$78,750$250,500$199 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Garretson, SD 57030 90%908$79,375$327,400$214 pricier homes ($35K more)
Rumney, NH 03266 89%1,743$76,071$281,900$251 smaller
Eddington, ME 04428 89%1,918$72,857$244,500$159 cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents
Wiscasset, ME 04578 89%1,849$81,063$327,400$234 pricier homes ($35K more)
Brandon, VT 05733 89%1,686$68,831$248,200$218 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Wallingford, VT 05773 89%1,681$80,726$261,700$155 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Danville, VT 05828 89%1,747$72,121$279,100$208 smaller · older residents
Athens, NY 12015 89%1,611$91,845$306,300$226 Very close on everything we compare
Trumansburg, NY 14886 89%1,485$82,000$238,500$207 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Oley, PA 19547 89%1,471$89,948$357,900$213 pricier homes ($66K more)
Trappe, MD 21673 89%1,421$68,194$363,100$205 pricier homes ($71K more)
Eyota, MN 55934 89%992$84,952$327,700$163 pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents
Troy, ID 83871 89%1,448$89,750$361,800$179 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Mount Vernon, ME 04352 88%1,846$74,395$264,200$207 cheaper homes ($28K 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.