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.

Reset

Towns most like Starksboro, VT 05487

Starksboro: median income $76,750, home value $265,000, $229/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newport, VA 24128 91%618$78,512$255,800$202 older residents
East Fairfield, VT 05448 90%36$82,500$273,800$232 smaller · more single-family homes
Eden, MD 21822 90%433$84,479$277,700$189 larger
Leasburg, NC 27291 88%630$89,610$269,900$302 Very close on everything we compare
Cabot, VT 05647 87%37$76,406$249,400$253 older residents
Siloam, NC 27047 87%677$71,146$214,500— cheaper homes ($51K less)
Henley, MO 65040 87%1,078$89,167$225,800$190 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Vassalboro, ME 04989 86%167$72,300$244,300$238 larger · older residents
Groton, VT 05046 86%40$84,375$259,000$202 more single-family homes
Hyde Park, VT 05655 86%34$84,375$198,400$289 cheaper homes ($67K less) · larger
West Burke, VT 05871 86%60$74,572$277,900$209 more single-family homes
Smyrna, SC 29743 86%775$86,064$242,500$186 younger residents
Absarokee, MT 59001 86%1,772$82,692$359,000$271 pricier homes ($94K more)
Richards, TX 77873 86%1,561$80,938$285,000$198 older residents
Freedom, ME 04941 85%183$65,662$214,000$216 cheaper homes ($51K less)
Maidsville, WV 26541 85%475$73,444$236,400$163 cheaper homes ($29K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Garfield, GA 30425 85%937$73,889$209,700— cheaper homes ($55K less) · older homes
Rabun Gap, GA 30568 85%844$75,948$273,400$218 more renters · more single-family homes
Wolcott, VT 05680 84%35$72,917$227,700$267 cheaper homes ($37K less) · more single-family homes
Irasburg, VT 05845 84%54$82,262$233,200$197 cheaper homes ($32K less) · older residents · more single-family homes
Pattersonville, NY 12137 84%110$83,879$271,500$231 younger residents
Portersville, PA 16051 84%427$88,958$215,600$271 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · older residents
Port Deposit, MD 21904 84%355$88,136$333,500$236 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger
Ararat, NC 27007 84%672$77,163$216,200$202 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Lexington, KY 40516 84%727$84,510$264,100$181 larger · more single-family 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.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Columbus, OH? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched