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 Billerica, MA 01821

Billerica: median income $149,042, home value $615,100, $382/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Deer Park, NY 11729 90%164$136,939$539,700$455 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Hauppauge, NY 11788 90%156$149,726$653,900$414 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Rockaway, NJ 07866 89%202$131,403$457,400$329 cheaper homes ($158K less)
Bohemia, NY 11716 89%156$128,889$559,800$385 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Clark, NJ 07066 88%207$133,504$609,600$413 smaller
East Islip, NY 11730 88%161$145,652$594,200$444 smaller · older homes
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 87%146$120,573$496,600$337 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($119K less)
Islip, NY 11751 86%162$116,559$563,100$434 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Miller Place, NY 11764 86%143$146,813$615,900$377 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Saint James, NY 11780 86%152$144,577$723,200$466 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller
Riverside, CA 92506 86%2,540$121,459$669,500$384 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($54K more)
Shingle Springs, CA 95682 86%2,584$122,436$722,800$332 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($108K more) · newer homes
Middletown, NJ 07748 85%210$152,981$600,600$413 8 min longer commute
Pearl River, NY 10965 85%176$132,660$596,700$395 smaller · older homes
Fair Oaks, CA 95628 85%2,599$115,803$651,400$340 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($36K more)
Cumberland, RI 02864 84%43$117,522$431,000$281 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($184K less)
Holbrook, NY 11741 84%153$144,346$536,900$403 cheaper homes ($78K less) · 9 min longer commute
Huntington Station, NY 11746 84%162$164,589$695,200$444 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Smithtown, NY 11787 84%155$143,101$679,800$424 pricier homes ($65K more) · 7 min longer commute
Moorpark, CA 93021 84%2,605$147,636$904,200$457 pricier homes ($289K more) · newer homes
Damascus, OR 97089 84%2,510$123,689$633,600$300 lower income ($25K less) · smaller
North Haven, CT 06473 83%116$132,829$391,200$280 cheaper homes ($224K less)
Butler, NJ 07405 83%196$135,169$569,800$342 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Hazlet, NJ 07730 83%211$125,338$478,600$375 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Howell, NJ 07731 83%226$134,056$494,600$353 cheaper homes ($121K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer 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.