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 Ware, MA 01082

Ware: median income $69,018, home value $292,000, $219/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Franklin, NH 03235 94%87$71,775$263,600$250 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Danielson, CT 06239 93%37$74,267$277,500$264 younger residents
Plainfield, CT 06374 93%44$71,882$248,700$194 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Boyertown, PA 19512 93%221$79,885$274,200$208 larger
Port Jervis, NY 12771 92%138$68,136$261,100$234 cheaper homes ($31K less)
Gardiner, ME 04345 90%183$77,410$242,800$258 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Slatington, PA 18080 90%203$74,522$264,200$180 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Hamburg, PA 19526 90%227$69,483$221,000$168 cheaper homes ($71K less) · newer homes
Tilton, NH 03276 89%90$82,425$272,700$250 newer homes
Sanford, ME 04073 89%111$72,917$282,900$269 larger · newer homes
Lisbon Falls, ME 04252 89%163$73,476$258,500$236 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Bucksport, ME 04416 89%238$64,587$250,900$195 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · newer homes
Winsted, CT 06098 89%48$66,269$247,900$216 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Putnam, CT 06260 89%30$70,502$269,500$221 more renters
Terryville, CT 06786 89%56$87,306$265,300$233 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Pemberton, NJ 08068 89%202$83,194$284,000$237 smaller
Catskill, NY 12414 89%84$73,036$247,800$271 cheaper homes ($44K less)
Springvale, ME 04083 88%111$72,207$272,000$246 smaller
Springfield, VT 05156 88%73$66,679$204,300$162 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Palmerton, PA 18071 88%200$70,217$206,900$170 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Watertown, WI 53094 88%837$73,443$237,500$194 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Farmington, NH 03835 87%99$66,982$289,800$242 smaller · newer homes
Springville, NY 14141 87%328$80,906$217,800$170 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Waterford, MI 48328 87%566$72,299$222,900$195 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Delavan, WI 53115 87%834$72,304$251,900$234 cheaper homes ($40K less) · larger · 7 min shorter 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.