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 Twain Harte, CA 95383

Twain Harte: median income $86,970, home value $461,100, $265/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Boyce, VA 22620 95%2,260$99,896$539,300$224 pricier homes ($78K more)
Barto, PA 19504 92%2,370$98,859$388,300$225 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Freeland, MD 21053 92%2,320$89,497$408,300$238 cheaper homes ($53K less) · younger residents
Temple, NH 03084 91%2,530$94,107$401,000$293 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Rhododendron, OR 97049 91%512$92,056$474,200$284 smaller
Becket, MA 01223 90%2,471$86,818$363,600$258 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804 90%2,391$107,333$462,000$271 Very close on everything we compare
Divide, CO 80814 90%814$80,500$466,800$254 newer homes
Raymond, ME 04071 89%2,588$88,722$414,400$365 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Columbia, NJ 07832 89%2,390$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Kempton, PA 19529 89%2,352$94,286$385,900$207 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Whites Creek, TN 37189 89%1,833$87,047$383,200$231 cheaper homes ($78K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Lake Park, MN 56554 89%1,365$94,792$376,400$307 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Granville, MA 01034 88%2,483$91,016$356,800$231 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller
Alton, NH 03809 88%2,554$106,397$387,500$270 cheaper homes ($74K less)
White Hall, MD 21161 88%2,328$108,094$472,600$287 Very close on everything we compare
Center City, MN 55012 88%1,495$101,607$386,600$226 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller
Oakham, MA 01068 87%2,525$102,000$420,100$265 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
East Haddam, CT 06423 87%2,518$107,549$373,700$306 cheaper homes ($87K less) · more homeowners
Athens, NY 12015 87%2,437$91,845$306,300$226 cheaper homes ($155K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Salt Point, NY 12578 87%2,443$108,194$372,800$268 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Earleville, MD 21919 87%2,364$106,500$373,200$224 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Holland, MA 01521 86%2,524$91,979$333,600$359 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Chepachet, RI 02814 86%2,549$110,764$390,500$298 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger
New Hampton, NH 03256 86%2,532$87,917$382,000$353 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller · newer homes

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.