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 Lancaster, MA 01523

Lancaster: median income $134,833, home value $519,100, $288/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newtown, CT 06470 93%111$153,238$577,800$289 pricier homes ($59K more) · larger
Milford, NJ 08848 93%218$138,614$440,200$270 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Miller Place, NY 11764 93%124$146,813$615,900$377 pricier homes ($97K more)
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 92%206$123,750$451,700$256 cheaper homes ($67K less) · smaller
Hampton, NJ 08827 92%209$135,625$443,400$270 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Middletown, MD 21769 92%370$151,563$507,000$225 Very close on everything we compare
Woodstock, CT 06281 91%38$125,778$428,800$261 cheaper homes ($90K less) · newer homes
Oxford, CT 06478 91%103$128,953$472,400$285 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger · newer homes
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 91%183$117,298$438,600$329 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Succasunna, NJ 07876 91%189$161,304$527,200$324 higher income ($26K more)
Coopersburg, PA 18036 91%234$129,123$416,200$229 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger
Churchville, MD 21028 91%310$137,586$512,400$279 smaller
Middlebury, CT 06762 90%97$133,487$476,400$253 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Andover, NJ 07821 90%189$141,860$431,500$292 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Congers, NY 10920 90%147$145,567$582,800$375 pricier homes ($64K more)
Stony Point, NY 10980 90%146$126,284$513,700$337 larger
Red Hook, NY 12571 90%115$118,967$431,200$328 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Staatsburg, NY 12580 90%121$134,583$403,800$287 cheaper homes ($115K less) · smaller · older residents
Pipersville, PA 18947 90%226$140,783$615,000$302 pricier homes ($96K more) · newer homes
West Kingston, RI 02892 89%65$135,809$490,600$269 cheaper homes ($29K less) · newer homes
Pelham, NH 03076 89%27$135,956$552,600$312 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · newer homes
Hebron, CT 06248 89%64$134,435$376,200$239 cheaper homes ($143K less) · smaller · newer homes
Marlborough, CT 06447 89%69$142,105$379,100$227 cheaper homes ($140K less)
Orange, CT 06477 89%106$142,325$491,500$290 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Brookfield, CT 06804 89%111$148,945$480,200$283 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger

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.