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 Bellingham, MA 02019

Bellingham: median income $125,307, home value $450,700, $282/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Brewster, NY 10509 94%119$116,831$458,300$291 Very close on everything we compare
Montgomery, NY 12549 93%148$122,734$407,900$258 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 92%114$120,573$496,600$337 pricier homes ($46K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Goshen, NY 10924 91%154$110,938$454,300$277 older residents
Walkersville, MD 21793 90%356$121,971$459,400$226 smaller
Carmel, NY 10512 89%122$117,701$410,500$307 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older residents
Stony Point, NY 10980 89%143$126,284$513,700$337 pricier homes ($63K more)
Holbrook, NY 11741 89%121$144,346$536,900$403 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
Lake Grove, NY 11755 89%120$119,364$601,600$387 pricier homes ($151K more)
Damascus, MD 20872 89%357$141,050$504,300$252 pricier homes ($54K more)
Washington, NJ 07882 88%204$107,567$354,900$242 cheaper homes ($96K less)
Chester, NY 10918 88%152$140,550$459,700$263 5 min longer commute
Seymour, CT 06483 87%95$107,708$370,000$242 cheaper homes ($81K less)
Washingtonville, NY 10992 87%145$112,353$413,700$289 cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller · newer homes
Farmingville, NY 11738 87%118$140,121$484,700$377 pricier homes ($34K more)
Holtsville, NY 11742 87%119$125,162$510,200$394 pricier homes ($60K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Joppa, MD 21085 87%314$113,714$348,600$210 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Bethel, CT 06801 86%110$116,541$434,600$296 Very close on everything we compare
North Babylon, NY 11703 86%133$137,158$521,700$424 pricier homes ($71K more) · older homes
Perkasie, PA 18944 86%229$130,997$426,100$248 larger · 5 min shorter commute
Fort Washington, MD 20744 86%369$124,190$439,400$228 larger · older residents
Butler, NJ 07405 85%170$135,169$569,800$342 pricier homes ($119K more)
Sussex, NJ 07461 85%171$106,981$370,000$262 cheaper homes ($81K less) · less walkable
Feasterville Trevose, PA 19053 85%226$107,780$413,100$267 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · older residents
Howell, NJ 07731 84%195$134,056$494,600$353 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger

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.