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 Ashburnham, MA 01430

Ashburnham: median income $118,683, home value $391,700, $275/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Foster, RI 02825 96%61$112,593$445,600$272 pricier homes ($54K more)
Standish, ME 04084 95%109$109,345$351,200$303 cheaper homes ($41K less)
Deerfield, NH 03037 94%48$130,371$424,000$293 pricier homes ($32K more)
Scandia, MN 55073 94%1,052$128,723$462,400$249 pricier homes ($71K more) · smaller
Weare, NH 03281 92%31$118,271$396,300$242 older residents
Nottingham, NH 03290 92%53$122,201$457,500$345 pricier homes ($66K more)
Salem, CT 06420 92%82$123,425$405,800$245 Very close on everything we compare
Milford, NJ 08848 92%217$138,614$440,200$270 pricier homes ($49K more)
Palo Cedro, CA 96073 92%2,564$120,469$567,000$274 pricier homes ($175K more)
Danville, NH 03819 91%45$112,335$436,300$296 pricier homes ($45K more) · newer homes
Somers, CT 06071 91%53$126,500$396,500$237 larger
Marlborough, CT 06447 91%75$142,105$379,100$227 Very close on everything we compare
Oxford, CT 06478 91%105$128,953$472,400$285 pricier homes ($81K more) · larger
Pequea, PA 17565 91%297$125,313$340,100$247 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Cochranville, PA 19330 91%282$109,779$387,100$223 Very close on everything we compare
Washington, MI 48095 91%564$107,393$406,700$208 Very close on everything we compare
Gilmanton, NH 03237 90%59$111,359$345,400$275 cheaper homes ($46K less) · smaller
Sanbornton, NH 03269 90%64$107,083$450,000$319 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Hebron, CT 06248 90%71$134,435$376,200$239 Very close on everything we compare
Lagrangeville, NY 12540 90%115$111,320$483,100$251 pricier homes ($91K more) · 6 min longer commute
Pylesville, MD 21132 90%310$132,288$485,600$230 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller
Quinton, VA 23141 90%449$119,535$397,600$230 older residents
Hinckley, OH 44233 90%514$136,915$443,500$263 pricier homes ($52K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Center Barnstead, NH 03225 89%60$111,660$368,400$327 smaller
Barrington, NH 03825 89%59$110,323$399,100$316 more apartments and townhomes

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.