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 Dunstable, MA 01827

Dunstable: median income $208,512, home value $674,000, $306/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pittstown, NJ 08867 93%229$204,583$601,600$276 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger
Marriottsville, MD 21104 90%365$191,804$680,200$243 larger
Millstone Township, NJ 08535 89%235$209,732$734,100$329 pricier homes ($60K more)
Millstone Township, NJ 08510 88%238$225,966$740,700$318 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger · older residents
Davidsonville, MD 21035 88%373$188,347$831,500$273 pricier homes ($158K more) · larger
Monrovia, MD 21770 88%378$183,571$632,500$240 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Broad Run, VA 20137 87%420$191,974$720,900$355 pricier homes ($47K more) · smaller
Baldwin, MD 21013 87%339$171,354$572,100$238 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger
Brookline, NH 03033 86%10$171,046$544,400$245 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($130K less) · larger
Hamilton, VA 20158 86%404$211,522$765,800$291 pricier homes ($92K more) · more renters
Ijamsville, MD 21754 86%381$182,188$647,300$236 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger
Highland, MD 20777 85%374$226,146$861,900$282 pricier homes ($188K more)
Parkton, MD 21120 85%341$162,052$580,900$237 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
West Friendship, MD 21794 85%369$231,466$999,400$230 pricier homes ($325K more) · smaller
Round Hill, VA 20141 84%410$210,563$736,700$287 pricier homes ($63K more) · larger · newer homes
West River, MD 20778 84%375$205,974$716,500$307 pricier homes ($43K more) · smaller · older residents
Oakland, MI 48363 84%592$179,375$618,200$226 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger
Newfields, NH 03856 83%36$197,885$646,400$371 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Easton, CT 06612 83%135$222,604$783,100$323 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger · older homes
Long Valley, NJ 07853 83%214$175,792$605,000$302 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Jamison, PA 18929 83%250$179,380$627,700$274 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Brookeville, MD 20833 83%377$204,375$797,100$284 pricier homes ($123K more) · larger · more walkable
Dayton, MD 21036 83%373$218,036$881,300$264 pricier homes ($207K more) · older residents
Glenwood, MD 21738 83%371$250,000+*$914,300$268 higher income ($41K more) · pricier homes ($240K more)
Woodbine, MD 21797 83%370$189,241$735,600$259 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or 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.