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 Douglas, MA 01516

Douglas: median income $153,172, home value $467,000, $291/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Boston, NH 03070 95%64$154,000$480,300$284 smaller
Litchfield, NH 03052 94%57$162,036$485,000$337 5 min shorter commute
Sandown, NH 03873 94%67$135,040$483,400$324 Very close on everything we compare
Middletown, MD 21769 94%353$151,563$507,000$225 pricier homes ($40K more)
Deerfield, NH 03037 92%79$130,371$424,000$293 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Pelham, NH 03076 92%52$135,956$552,600$312 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 92%193$134,038$580,900$325 pricier homes ($114K more) · smaller
Jefferson, MD 21755 92%356$137,417$529,600$241 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller
Oxford, CT 06478 91%83$128,953$472,400$285 Very close on everything we compare
Milford, NJ 08848 91%201$138,614$440,200$270 cheaper homes ($27K less) · older homes
Newton, NH 03858 90%67$138,487$459,500$290 smaller
Hebron, CT 06248 90%42$134,435$376,200$239 cheaper homes ($91K less) · smaller
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 90%111$141,585$478,600$266 larger
Manchester, MD 21102 90%315$135,069$392,800$211 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Grasonville, MD 21638 90%317$140,086$569,200$298 pricier homes ($102K more) · smaller
Stevensville, MD 21666 90%323$123,645$494,300$278 lower income ($30K less) · pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Chester, NH 03036 89%68$142,212$552,300$298 pricier homes ($85K more) · smaller · more homeowners
Woodstock, CT 06281 89%14$125,778$428,800$261 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($38K less)
Manorville, NY 11949 89%100$138,864$601,600$339 pricier homes ($135K more) · larger
Wingdale, NY 12594 89%97$144,202$385,000$269 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller
Marshall, VA 20115 89%392$142,981$657,300$273 pricier homes ($190K more) · more renters
West Greenwich, RI 02817 88%29$135,625$535,400$274 pricier homes ($68K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Weare, NH 03281 88%70$118,271$396,300$242 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($71K less)
Marlborough, CT 06447 88%46$142,105$379,100$227 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 88%188$123,750$451,700$256 lower income ($29K less) · smaller

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.