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 Gardner, MA 01440

Gardner: median income $67,440, home value $303,500, $232/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bristol, PA 19007 92%226$65,511$290,300$256 younger residents
Bridgeport, CT 06606 90%113$73,372$289,000$271 larger
Gwynn Oak, MD 21207 90%334$67,060$260,300$187 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Essex, MD 21221 90%324$67,340$271,500$187 cheaper homes ($32K less) · larger · newer homes
Waterbury, CT 06708 89%90$67,364$218,500$202 cheaper homes ($85K less) · younger residents
Ansonia, CT 06401 88%102$86,178$285,800$236 Very close on everything we compare
Meriden, CT 06451 88%83$71,255$239,800$217 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Norwich, CT 06360 87%72$65,539$245,700$203 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Marcus Hook, PA 19061 87%261$82,005$252,400$217 cheaper homes ($51K less) · younger residents · 5 min shorter commute
West Warwick, RI 02893 86%65$77,608$330,800$268 pricier homes ($27K more) · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 86%208$79,949$267,200$241 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more single-family homes
Port Jervis, NY 12771 86%160$68,136$261,100$234 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · less walkable
Columbia, PA 17512 86%292$66,684$245,200$169 cheaper homes ($58K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Whitehall, PA 18052 86%225$75,665$262,900$201 cheaper homes ($41K less) · newer homes
Ellenville, NY 12428 85%137$63,145$238,400$199 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Melrose Park, IL 60160 85%812$66,189$275,800$230 cheaper homes ($28K less) · younger residents
Winsted, CT 06098 84%71$66,269$247,900$216 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller · older residents
Stratford, CT 06615 84%113$81,534$364,700$306 pricier homes ($61K more)
Newburgh, NY 12550 84%128$85,697$340,900$244 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger
Pottstown, PA 19464 84%247$79,787$264,400$197 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · younger residents
Cudahy, WI 53110 84%804$66,719$216,500$203 cheaper homes ($87K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Schiller Park, IL 60176 84%812$69,696$275,000$219 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Putnam, CT 06260 83%46$70,502$269,500$221 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Derby, CT 06418 83%103$78,542$258,500$231 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · newer homes
Meriden, CT 06450 83%83$71,250$242,600$211 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger · 8 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.