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.

Reset

Towns most like Holden, MA 01520

Holden: median income $148,125, home value $478,300, $296/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Orange, CT 06477 95%95$142,325$491,500$290 Very close on everything we compare
Brookfield, CT 06804 93%100$148,945$480,200$283 Very close on everything we compare
Contoocook, NH 03229 91%60$137,386$506,100$287 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Cheshire, CT 06410 90%80$145,179$438,900$262 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger
Milford, CT 06461 90%99$133,221$424,700$299 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Millersville, MD 21108 90%336$151,324$555,000$241 pricier homes ($77K more) · newer homes
Maple Plain, MN 55359 90%1,104$129,250$537,300$248 pricier homes ($59K more) · smaller
Newtown, CT 06470 89%100$153,238$577,800$289 pricier homes ($100K more) · 8 min longer commute
Succasunna, NJ 07876 89%178$161,304$527,200$324 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Annapolis, MD 21409 89%332$147,151$535,500$286 pricier homes ($57K more) · newer homes
Glastonbury, CT 06033 88%58$149,962$427,000$273 cheaper homes ($51K less) · larger
Simsbury, CT 06070 88%59$162,424$445,300$264 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Hauppauge, NY 11788 88%126$149,726$653,900$414 pricier homes ($176K more)
Troy, MI 48085 88%575$146,390$423,800$218 cheaper homes ($55K less) · larger
Bow, NH 03304 87%57$172,857$506,500$279 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · newer homes
Ringwood, NJ 07456 87%152$152,414$449,800$302 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 6 min longer commute
Arnold, MD 21012 87%333$139,432$563,800$270 pricier homes ($86K more) · newer homes
Morrison, CO 80465 87%1,738$132,292$685,300$312 pricier homes ($207K more) · newer homes
Cranston, RI 02921 86%44$147,204$535,800$293 pricier homes ($58K more) · newer homes
Amherst, NH 03031 86%38$153,125$537,300$289 pricier homes ($59K more) · 6 min longer commute
Burlington, CT 06013 86%70$165,120$418,700$252 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · newer homes
South Windsor, CT 06074 86%51$144,961$375,100$256 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger · newer homes
Guilford, CT 06437 86%83$137,615$515,000$301 pricier homes ($37K more) · older residents
Middlebury, CT 06762 86%86$133,487$476,400$253 smaller · more walkable
Congers, NY 10920 86%136$145,567$582,800$375 pricier homes ($105K more) · 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.