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 North Oxford, MA 01537

North Oxford: median income $102,956, home value $353,500, $232/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wrightstown, NJ 08562 90%201$103,493$301,800$282 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger · older residents
Alburtis, PA 18011 89%224$104,449$296,300$206 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Tannersville, PA 18372 88%194$123,344$322,400$203 cheaper homes ($31K less) · older residents
Rochester, NH 03839 87%89$88,346$335,600$288 larger
Lyman, WY 82937 87%1,964$98,000$254,500$187 cheaper homes ($99K less) · larger
Manville, RI 02838 85%25$97,273$372,300$219 larger · more renters
Lisbon, ME 04250 85%157$84,028$257,700$200 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger
Newport News, VA 23603 83%424$88,246$293,300$189 cheaper homes ($60K less) · larger · more renters
Rochester, NH 03868 82%93$81,530$268,800$265 cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger · older residents
Marietta, PA 17547 82%283$92,199$270,600$196 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger
Mountville, PA 17554 82%278$98,431$301,500$183 cheaper homes ($52K less) · larger
Richlandtown, PA 18955 82%213$78,750$339,600$235 smaller · older residents · older homes
Wanamingo, MN 55983 82%1,061$82,446$283,600$210 cheaper homes ($70K less) · more single-family homes
Killdeer, ND 58640 82%1,547$100,688$343,700$142 smaller · more single-family homes
Penrose, CO 81240 82%1,753$90,417$341,400$244 larger · older residents
Plaistow, NH 03865 81%61$108,317$404,500$312 pricier homes ($51K more) · larger
New Gloucester, ME 04260 81%148$108,797$357,100$257 larger · more single-family homes
Willington, CT 06279 81%27$91,114$305,800$233 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · more renters
Johnson Creek, WI 53038 81%860$96,127$327,400$184 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Esparto, CA 95627 81%2,609$101,994$457,700$316 pricier homes ($104K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Battle Mountain, NV 89820 80%2,311$89,014$222,100$218 cheaper homes ($131K less) · larger
Rollinsford, NH 03869 79%91$87,215$413,500$315 pricier homes ($60K more) · more single-family homes · older homes
Helmetta, NJ 08828 79%180$98,952$355,000$311 8 min longer commute · more renters
Stillwater, NY 12170 79%107$102,857$271,600$267 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Marshall, WI 53559 79%875$93,571$315,300$211 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · more single-family homes

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.