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 Housatonic, MA 01236

Housatonic: median income $111,250, home value $504,900, $332/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Falls Village, CT 06031 86%21$106,875$464,500$353 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Island Heights, NJ 08732 77%165$110,000$561,200$390 pricier homes ($56K more) · 8 min longer commute · more homeowners
Woodstock, VT 05091 76%103$112,396$572,200$327 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Norfolk, CT 06058 70%21$91,548$417,800$284 cheaper homes ($87K less) · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Canaan, NY 12029 70%10$103,542$421,500$319 cheaper homes ($83K less) · 9 min longer commute · less walkable
Litchfield, CT 06759 69%36$105,957$448,900$277 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Riegelsville, PA 18077 68%151$97,917$438,800$268 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Skaneateles, NY 13152 67%161$104,211$461,800$411 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger · younger residents
East Chatham, NY 12060 64%13$101,548$399,400$231 cheaper homes ($106K less) · 5 min longer commute · less walkable
Pine Plains, NY 12567 63%24$103,750$348,500$339 cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Bayside, CA 95524 63%2,583$87,500$601,600$413 pricier homes ($97K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Sharon, CT 06069 62%28$101,067$611,200$524 pricier homes ($106K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Pine Beach, NJ 08741 62%166$143,094$465,600$377 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Hurley, NY 12443 62%42$104,412$375,300$285 cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger · younger residents
Yellow Springs, OH 45387 62%573$96,042$332,900$238 cheaper homes ($172K less) · larger · newer homes
Cornwall On Hudson, NY 12520 61%66$136,797$473,000$304 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger
Titusville, NJ 08560 60%156$128,516$420,300$302 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Chester, CT 06412 59%76$109,191$442,200$260 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Germantown, NY 12526 59%27$97,679$485,000$361 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Stonington, CT 06378 58%97$135,714$593,400$407 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Middlefield, CT 06455 58%62$104,180$388,700$274 cheaper homes ($116K less) · larger · more homeowners
Mystic, CT 06355 57%95$137,425$453,400$305 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Old Lyme, CT 06371 57%85$132,045$499,400$372 larger · younger residents · 7 min longer commute
Old Saybrook, CT 06475 57%84$114,333$538,200$434 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Circleville, NY 10919 57%73$108,859$437,600$238 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners

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.