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 Sturbridge, MA 01566

Sturbridge: median income $137,730, home value $415,900, $268/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 97%176$123,750$451,700$256 pricier homes ($36K more)
Staatsburg, NY 12580 97%95$134,583$403,800$287 smaller
Hebron, CT 06248 94%34$134,435$376,200$239 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Asbury, NJ 08802 94%181$135,689$461,700$261 pricier homes ($46K more) · smaller
New Hartford, CT 06057 93%51$117,906$380,200$284 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Blairstown, NJ 07825 93%169$123,785$423,400$258 Very close on everything we compare
West Kingston, RI 02892 92%48$135,809$490,600$269 pricier homes ($75K more)
Deerfield, NH 03037 92%83$130,371$424,000$293 smaller
Weare, NH 03281 91%69$118,271$396,300$242 Very close on everything we compare
Newton, NH 03858 91%74$138,487$459,500$290 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller
Woodstock, CT 06281 91%11$125,778$428,800$261 Very close on everything we compare
Marlborough, CT 06447 91%38$142,105$379,100$227 cheaper homes ($37K less) · younger residents
Lafayette, NJ 07848 91%153$128,317$436,800$288 smaller
Milford, NJ 08848 91%188$138,614$440,200$270 younger residents
Coopersburg, PA 18036 91%204$129,123$416,200$229 larger
Milford, MI 48380 91%591$131,979$447,000$202 pricier homes ($31K more)
Strafford, NH 03884 90%92$122,105$427,900$308 smaller
Oxford, CT 06478 90%72$128,953$472,400$285 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger
West Milford, NJ 07480 90%138$132,676$379,900$292 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger
Hampton, NJ 08827 90%179$135,625$443,400$270 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller · younger residents
Perkiomenville, PA 18074 90%217$130,462$433,400$212 5 min shorter commute
Queenstown, MD 21658 90%303$128,274$483,200$300 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Canterbury, NH 03224 89%90$138,125$438,500$245 smaller
Clarksboro, NJ 08020 89%229$134,490$359,800$242 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Valencia, PA 16059 89%418$110,828$408,500$243 lower income ($27K less)

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.