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 Dracut, MA 01826

Dracut: median income $114,196, home value $473,800, $353/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 96%151$120,573$496,600$337 Very close on everything we compare
Salem, NH 03079 95%9$110,490$473,300$340 Very close on everything we compare
Shelton, CT 06484 95%133$108,185$452,600$293 Very close on everything we compare
Freehold, NJ 07728 93%227$114,072$505,400$342 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Brick, NJ 08724 93%230$103,127$411,000$352 cheaper homes ($63K less)
Brewster, NY 10509 93%146$116,831$458,300$291 smaller
Patchogue, NY 11772 93%158$105,245$474,800$400 Very close on everything we compare
Cumberland, RI 02864 92%51$117,522$431,000$281 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Ronkonkoma, NY 11779 92%159$112,180$487,300$436 Very close on everything we compare
Hudson, NH 03051 91%8$124,213$438,900$298 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Danbury, CT 06811 91%140$104,640$421,200$286 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Amityville, NY 11701 91%175$117,033$499,500$442 pricier homes ($26K more)
Holtsville, NY 11742 91%157$125,162$510,200$394 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Bethel, CT 06801 90%139$116,541$434,600$296 cheaper homes ($39K less) · smaller
Brick, NJ 08723 90%233$108,643$400,800$350 cheaper homes ($73K less) · more single-family homes
Toms River, NJ 08753 90%238$105,224$409,200$323 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · more single-family homes
Warminster, PA 18974 90%259$103,779$434,700$281 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Orangevale, CA 95662 90%2,591$96,689$558,300$352 pricier homes ($85K more)
Rockaway, NJ 07866 89%204$131,403$457,400$329 Very close on everything we compare
Telford, PA 18969 89%265$108,995$385,300$237 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller
Westminster, MD 21157 89%365$104,966$424,100$228 cheaper homes ($50K less)
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317 89%1,250$93,603$495,000$298 Very close on everything we compare
Roselle, IL 60172 89%856$110,750$346,800$244 cheaper homes ($127K less)
Oregon City, OR 97045 89%2,510$103,573$587,700$313 pricier homes ($114K more) · larger
Renton, WA 98058 89%2,457$115,201$676,000$385 pricier homes ($202K more)

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.