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 Sterling, MA 01564

Sterling: median income $129,063, home value $498,800, $327/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 94%201$123,750$451,700$256 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Staatsburg, NY 12580 94%116$134,583$403,800$287 cheaper homes ($95K less) · smaller
Woodbury, CT 06798 92%96$131,480$469,900$250 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Lafayette, NJ 07848 92%177$128,317$436,800$288 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Queenstown, MD 21658 92%329$128,274$483,200$300 smaller
New Hartford, CT 06057 91%75$117,906$380,200$284 cheaper homes ($119K less)
Woodstock, CT 06281 91%35$125,778$428,800$261 cheaper homes ($70K less) · younger residents
Mount Sinai, NY 11766 90%122$153,235$649,600$354 pricier homes ($151K more)
Deerfield, NH 03037 89%55$130,371$424,000$293 cheaper homes ($75K less) · smaller · younger residents
Oxford, CT 06478 89%99$128,953$472,400$285 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · younger residents
Kingston, WA 98346 89%2,457$114,779$612,800$348 pricier homes ($114K more) · newer homes
Chepachet, RI 02814 88%36$110,764$390,500$298 cheaper homes ($108K less)
Hampstead, NH 03841 88%43$104,044$510,100$307 lower income ($25K less)
Newton, NH 03858 88%48$138,487$459,500$290 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Strafford, NH 03884 88%64$122,105$427,900$308 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller · younger residents
Blairstown, NJ 07825 88%193$123,785$423,400$258 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Red Hook, NY 12571 88%110$118,967$431,200$328 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Stevensville, MD 21666 88%340$123,645$494,300$278 larger · younger residents
Hebron, CT 06248 87%61$134,435$376,200$239 cheaper homes ($123K less) · younger residents
Allentown, NJ 08501 87%215$146,182$588,800$312 pricier homes ($90K more) · newer homes
Asbury, NJ 08802 87%207$135,689$461,700$261 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Valencia, PA 16059 87%438$110,828$408,500$243 cheaper homes ($90K less) · younger residents
Sandia Park, NM 87047 87%1,912$116,630$413,400$262 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · newer homes
Charlestown, RI 02813 86%72$109,404$525,500$412 pricier homes ($27K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Chester, NH 03036 86%46$142,212$552,300$298 pricier homes ($54K 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.