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 Spencer, MA 01562

Spencer: median income $80,533, home value $382,000, $269/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pemberton, NJ 08068 89%210$83,194$284,000$237 cheaper homes ($98K less) · smaller
Middle Island, NY 11953 87%107$86,206$397,800$304 newer homes
Franklin, NJ 07416 86%155$93,983$289,000$234 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller
Belvidere, NJ 07823 86%186$85,522$322,000$224 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller · older residents
Randallstown, MD 21133 85%320$80,480$322,800$194 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger
Wharton, NJ 07885 84%163$100,716$380,900$333 more walkable
Dover Plains, NY 12522 84%89$76,157$301,300$264 cheaper homes ($81K less) · smaller · younger residents
Boyertown, PA 19512 84%232$79,885$274,200$208 cheaper homes ($108K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Jackson, CA 95642 84%2,549$81,438$456,100$263 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Rochester, NH 03867 82%90$78,674$273,900$279 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
West Berlin, NJ 08091 82%228$75,238$302,600$263 cheaper homes ($79K less) · smaller · more walkable
Highland, NY 12528 82%109$92,462$366,400$270 younger residents
Hudson, NY 12534 82%90$72,741$316,700$307 cheaper homes ($65K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Hyde Park, NY 12538 82%103$86,230$322,100$285 cheaper homes ($60K less) · younger residents
Wind Gap, PA 18091 82%199$80,464$277,600$271 cheaper homes ($104K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Matamoras, PA 18336 82%153$71,295$250,200$234 cheaper homes ($132K less) · smaller
Tilton, NH 03276 81%87$82,425$272,700$250 cheaper homes ($109K less) · 9 min shorter commute
New Windsor, NY 12553 81%119$92,757$362,300$272 larger · younger residents
Walden, NY 12586 81%122$87,194$348,400$245 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents
Franklin, NH 03235 80%85$71,775$263,600$250 cheaper homes ($118K less) · younger residents
Sanford, ME 04073 80%103$72,917$282,900$269 cheaper homes ($99K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Jewett City, CT 06351 80%44$82,976$294,400$255 cheaper homes ($88K less) · more homeowners
Fishkill, NY 12524 80%109$99,034$398,300$308 more apartments and townhomes
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 80%107$102,285$400,300$280 larger
East Greenville, PA 18041 80%222$98,615$317,700$217 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute

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.