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 North Reading, MA 01864

North Reading: median income $147,768, home value $710,500, $425/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hauppauge, NY 11788 95%163$149,726$653,900$414 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Saint James, NY 11780 93%159$144,577$723,200$466 Very close on everything we compare
Congers, NY 10920 92%177$145,567$582,800$375 cheaper homes ($128K less) · smaller
Middletown, NJ 07748 91%217$152,981$600,600$413 cheaper homes ($110K less) · larger
Nesconset, NY 11767 91%160$152,985$637,900$407 cheaper homes ($73K less) · more single-family homes
Newtown, CT 06470 90%141$153,238$577,800$289 cheaper homes ($133K less)
Valley Cottage, NY 10989 90%178$134,267$549,700$390 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller
Miller Place, NY 11764 90%150$146,813$615,900$377 cheaper homes ($95K less)
Sayville, NY 11782 90%163$147,672$637,300$507 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Smithtown, NY 11787 90%162$143,101$679,800$424 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Butler, NJ 07405 89%203$135,169$569,800$342 cheaper homes ($141K less) · more walkable
Orangeburg, NY 10962 89%182$148,500$712,300$403 smaller
Bayport, NY 11705 89%162$164,300$646,500$426 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller
Greenlawn, NY 11740 89%167$152,386$693,700$461 smaller
Bridgewater, NJ 08807 88%229$168,696$591,200$369 cheaper homes ($119K less) · larger
Kendall Park, NJ 08824 88%233$174,776$628,000$360 higher income ($27K more) · cheaper homes ($83K less)
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 88%165$173,573$617,900$417 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($93K less) · larger
East Setauket, NY 11733 88%154$173,281$683,400$408 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($27K less)
Kings Park, NY 11754 88%161$123,393$624,700$414 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Port Jefferson, NY 11777 88%152$150,505$680,200$382 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Annapolis, MD 21409 87%371$147,151$535,500$286 cheaper homes ($175K less)
Watchung, NJ 07069 86%219$171,705$883,300$405 pricier homes ($173K more) · smaller · older residents
Denville, NJ 07834 86%210$156,902$555,600$418 cheaper homes ($155K less) · older homes
Flemington, NJ 08822 86%241$137,788$536,900$310 cheaper homes ($174K less) · larger
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567 86%169$144,194$566,700$352 cheaper homes ($144K less) · 5 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.