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 Southbridge, MA 01550

Southbridge: median income $66,287, home value $294,800, $215/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Haverstraw, NY 10927 88%117$75,167$361,100$272 pricier homes ($66K more)
Bristol, PA 19007 88%200$65,511$290,300$256 more homeowners
Norwich, CT 06360 87%37$65,539$245,700$203 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · more homeowners
Cohoes, NY 12047 87%98$66,071$246,800$226 cheaper homes ($48K less)
Woonsocket, RI 02895 86%27$61,059$311,000$228 larger · younger residents
Manchester, NH 03103 86%68$73,540$342,200$292 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger
Norfolk, VA 23503 86%420$67,649$293,100$223 larger · younger residents
Meriden, CT 06451 85%55$71,255$239,800$217 cheaper homes ($55K less) · more homeowners
Watervliet, NY 12189 85%97$65,276$220,600$193 cheaper homes ($74K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 85%100$63,652$301,700$229 larger · younger residents
Melrose Park, IL 60160 85%812$66,189$275,800$230 more homeowners · more walkable
Waterbury, CT 06706 83%63$52,242$210,700$188 cheaper homes ($84K less)
Troy, NY 12182 83%96$56,984$212,600$170 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Norfolk, VA 23502 83%424$63,208$266,200$209 cheaper homes ($29K less) · 6 min shorter commute · more single-family homes
Bensenville, IL 60106 83%816$79,456$282,200$198 newer homes
East Hartford, CT 06108 82%36$56,663$230,500$205 cheaper homes ($64K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Ansonia, CT 06401 82%74$86,178$285,800$236 more homeowners
Bridgeport, CT 06606 82%85$73,372$289,000$271 larger · more homeowners
Bridgeport, CT 06610 82%84$51,634$228,300$219 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Waterbury, CT 06708 82%64$67,364$218,500$202 cheaper homes ($76K less) · larger · more homeowners
Waterbury, CT 06705 81%61$53,954$202,400$198 cheaper homes ($92K less)
Baltimore, MD 21206 81%302$64,531$216,100$166 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Essex, MD 21221 81%300$67,340$271,500$187 larger · more homeowners
Brooklyn, MD 21225 80%310$54,020$229,000$187 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · younger residents
Atlanta, GA 30354 80%888$63,189$273,700$199 younger residents · newer 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.