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 Ashby, MA 01431

Ashby: median income $115,598, home value $390,500, $210/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Columbia, NJ 07832 94%205$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Morris, CT 06763 93%97$109,853$394,200$257 Very close on everything we compare
East Hartland, CT 06027 92%73$115,938$348,100$195 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Berne, NY 12023 91%118$112,885$302,300$210 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Perkiomenville, PA 18074 91%251$130,462$433,400$212 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Lebanon, CT 06249 90%75$109,135$345,900$216 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
East Haddam, CT 06423 90%89$107,549$373,700$306 larger
Diamond Point, NY 12824 90%111$108,533$425,900$266 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller
Barto, PA 19504 90%251$98,859$388,300$225 larger
Kempton, PA 19529 90%251$94,286$385,900$207 Very close on everything we compare
Kingsville, MD 21087 90%327$129,188$534,300$229 pricier homes ($144K more) · larger
Big Bend, WI 53103 90%830$137,083$397,700$259 Very close on everything we compare
Center City, MN 55012 90%1,056$101,607$386,600$226 smaller
Barkhamsted, CT 06063 89%76$121,705$373,100$231 Very close on everything we compare
Asbury, NJ 08802 89%215$135,689$461,700$261 pricier homes ($71K more)
Rock Hill, NY 12775 89%160$112,600$398,400$228 6 min shorter commute
Earleville, MD 21919 89%311$106,500$373,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Salisbury, NH 03268 88%51$111,818$363,200$268 cheaper homes ($27K less) · smaller · newer homes
Brookfield, VT 05036 88%102$109,612$343,100$191 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Colebrook, CT 06021 88%81$111,250$342,800$292 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller
New Hartford, CT 06057 88%84$117,906$380,200$284 larger
Blairstown, NJ 07825 88%200$123,785$423,400$258 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Clarksboro, NJ 08020 88%266$134,490$359,800$242 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more walkable
East Berne, NY 12059 88%114$106,506$340,400$215 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Roland, AR 72135 88%1,234$102,500$319,200$221 cheaper homes ($71K less) · newer 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.