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 Hadley, MA 01035

Hadley: median income $119,259, home value $511,000, $341/sq ft, 20-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Freeport, ME 04032 89%162$107,326$508,400$372 larger · newer homes
Delafield, WI 53018 89%804$124,595$521,400$284 larger · newer homes
Hinesburg, VT 05461 88%139$109,712$460,200$315 cheaper homes ($51K less) · newer homes
East Lyme, CT 06333 88%71$129,083$439,000$273 cheaper homes ($72K less) · 6 min longer commute
Fairfield, NJ 07004 87%136$115,980$688,500$393 pricier homes ($178K more)
Contoocook, NH 03229 86%73$137,386$506,100$287 more homeowners
Nashotah, WI 53058 86%804$104,444$584,900$280 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Portsmouth, RI 02871 85%86$116,831$597,000$392 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
York, ME 03909 85%112$115,608$638,400$414 pricier homes ($127K more) · larger
Waitsfield, VT 05673 85%127$98,068$448,000$362 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Northvale, NJ 07647 85%117$128,542$602,800$451 pricier homes ($92K more) · 7 min longer commute
Yarmouth, ME 04096 84%157$110,216$639,700$434 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Mystic, CT 06355 84%75$137,425$453,400$305 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · older residents
Red Hook, NY 12571 84%70$118,967$431,200$328 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Skaneateles, NY 13152 84%199$104,211$461,800$411 cheaper homes ($49K less) · older residents
Richmond, VT 05477 83%141$108,971$424,400$295 cheaper homes ($87K less) · 6 min longer commute · newer homes
Stowe, VT 05672 83%146$93,618$647,800$433 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($137K more)
Maple Plain, MN 55359 83%1,068$129,250$537,300$248 pricier homes ($26K more)
Lyme, NH 03768 82%101$133,906$645,000$357 pricier homes ($134K more) · smaller
Shelburne, VT 05482 82%144$115,963$588,100$310 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger · older residents
Unionville, CT 06085 82%45$141,023$413,600$263 cheaper homes ($97K less) · younger residents
Sewickley, PA 15143 82%412$132,674$454,900$257 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Missoula, MT 59803 82%2,039$111,925$556,000$283 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · newer homes
Lake Bluff, IL 60044 82%780$134,724$599,900$331 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
New London, NH 03257 81%79$107,000$559,000$346 pricier homes ($48K more) · older residents · 5 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.