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 Holyoke, MA 01040

Holyoke: median income $53,605, home value $274,100, $183/sq ft, 19-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Trenton, NJ 08618 91%176$50,390$227,000$186 cheaper homes ($47K less) · younger residents
New London, CT 06320 90%65$59,170$253,300$223 younger residents
Watervliet, NY 12189 90%66$65,276$220,600$193 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
El Paso, TX 79902 86%1,987$50,873$238,500$163 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Hartford, CT 06114 85%32$52,110$232,800$158 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Troy, NY 12182 85%66$56,984$212,600$170 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
East Hartford, CT 06108 84%29$56,663$230,500$205 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · newer homes
New Haven, CT 06513 84%63$48,500$235,500$210 cheaper homes ($39K less) · newer homes
Waterbury, CT 06706 84%50$52,242$210,700$188 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Portsmouth, VA 23704 84%420$49,583$230,300$175 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · newer homes
New Britain, CT 06053 83%37$62,645$220,800$214 cheaper homes ($53K less) · younger residents
Cohoes, NY 12047 83%68$66,071$246,800$226 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Columbus, OH 43213 83%553$54,704$211,700$163 cheaper homes ($62K less) · newer homes
Sioux Falls, SD 57104 83%1,220$57,688$202,800$167 cheaper homes ($71K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Albuquerque, NM 87108 83%1,884$42,724$243,200$193 cheaper homes ($31K less) · newer homes
Providence, RI 02907 82%68$52,485$349,200$213 pricier homes ($75K more) · younger residents · older homes
Lewiston, ME 04240 82%180$55,393$235,100$196 cheaper homes ($39K less) · less walkable
Norfolk, VA 23505 82%414$58,579$326,300$221 pricier homes ($52K more) · younger residents
Pawtucket, RI 02860 81%67$61,539$336,100$250 pricier homes ($62K more) · 6 min longer commute
Norwich, CT 06360 81%54$65,539$245,700$203 cheaper homes ($28K less) · more homeowners
Bethlehem, PA 18015 81%181$60,800$281,700$184 younger residents
Wilmington, DE 19805 81%229$60,221$237,100$204 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Tucson, AZ 85711 81%2,195$56,121$280,300$213 more single-family homes · newer homes
New Britain, CT 06051 80%38$51,022$211,500$177 cheaper homes ($63K less) · younger residents
Wilmington, NC 28401 80%622$57,968$298,500$270 smaller · 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.