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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 Newcastle, ME 04553

Newcastle: median income $89,868, home value $398,000, $321/sq ft, 17-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sheffield, MA 01257 94%235$102,788$441,000$299 pricier homes ($43K more)
Nobleboro, ME 04555 92%4$100,417$352,600$348 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Oldenburg, IN 47036 92%870$98,300$413,700— smaller
Owls Head, ME 04854 91%22$87,325$413,300$379 older homes
Cushing, ME 04563 90%14$83,500$409,800$376 6 min longer commute
South Thomaston, ME 04858 90%20$87,059$341,300$378 cheaper homes ($57K less) · more homeowners
Boothbay, ME 04537 89%12$76,667$358,600$296 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Blue Hill, ME 04614 89%54$80,377$399,500$276 Very close on everything we compare
Hope, ME 04847 89%24$86,766$373,400$368 more homeowners
Saint Regis, MT 59866 89%2,183$73,462$343,700$304 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Paonia, CO 81428 89%1,985$75,799$432,700$279 pricier homes ($35K more) · larger
Saratoga, WY 82331 89%1,880$95,610$363,800$206 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Lincolnville, ME 04849 88%28$80,377$360,600$329 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Rockport, ME 04856 88%24$86,979$469,000$293 pricier homes ($71K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202 88%869$73,784$432,200$406 pricier homes ($34K more) · older residents
Bristol, ME 04539 87%7$96,111$346,900$294 cheaper homes ($51K less) · older residents
Grand Marais, MN 55604 87%1,029$73,427$352,500$369 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger · older residents
Manchester, ME 04351 86%27$92,031$299,600$210 cheaper homes ($98K less)
North Garden, VA 22959 86%635$95,461$548,800$414 pricier homes ($151K more) · 6 min longer commute
Hebron, NH 03241 85%117$91,375$470,700$371 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller · older residents
Spofford, NH 03462 85%164$115,313$396,200$210 higher income ($25K more)
Phippsburg, ME 04562 85%24$107,833$335,800$423 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Joseph, OR 97846 85%2,309$71,471$383,200$341 older residents
Sedgwick, ME 04676 84%49$73,333$336,500$235 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Tenants Harbor, ME 04860 84%16$86,833$271,400$352 cheaper homes ($127K less) · 7 min longer commute

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.

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