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.

Reset

Towns most like Pepperell, MA 01463

Pepperell: median income $123,911, home value $482,100, $298/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sandown, NH 03873 93%27$135,040$483,400$324 smaller
Stevensville, MD 21666 93%358$123,645$494,300$278 Very close on everything we compare
Pelham, NH 03076 92%15$135,956$552,600$312 pricier homes ($71K more)
Barrington, NH 03825 92%46$110,323$399,100$316 cheaper homes ($83K less)
Woodstock, CT 06281 92%53$125,778$428,800$261 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Oxford, CT 06478 92%117$128,953$472,400$285 Very close on everything we compare
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 92%218$123,750$451,700$256 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Stony Point, NY 10980 92%159$126,284$513,700$337 pricier homes ($32K more)
Lagrangeville, NY 12540 92%130$111,320$483,100$251 Very close on everything we compare
Valencia, PA 16059 92%451$110,828$408,500$243 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Deerfield, NH 03037 91%37$130,371$424,000$293 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Goffstown, NH 03045 91%24$119,205$384,600$294 cheaper homes ($98K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Weare, NH 03281 91%28$118,271$396,300$242 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Colchester, CT 06415 91%85$123,256$366,300$265 cheaper homes ($116K less)
Milford, NJ 08848 91%231$138,614$440,200$270 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 91%136$141,585$478,600$266 larger
Londonderry, NH 03053 90%17$134,038$507,600$308 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger
East Hampton, CT 06424 90%89$123,680$347,800$242 cheaper homes ($134K less)
Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 90%229$134,038$580,900$325 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Strafford, NH 03884 89%46$122,105$427,900$308 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Brewster, NY 10509 89%135$116,831$458,300$291 larger
Holtsville, NY 11742 89%149$125,162$510,200$394 pricier homes ($28K more)
Middletown, MD 21769 89%382$151,563$507,000$225 higher income ($28K more)
Walkersville, MD 21793 89%372$121,971$459,400$226 more walkable
Berryville, VA 22611 89%412$120,381$580,200$226 pricier homes ($98K more)

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.