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 Halifax, MA 02338

Halifax: median income $118,556, home value $481,500, $347/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Fremont, NH 03044 92%69$120,781$416,900$325 cheaper homes ($65K less) · smaller
Stony Point, NY 10980 92%171$126,284$513,700$337 pricier homes ($32K more) · larger
Epping, NH 03042 90%73$104,220$436,900$319 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Strafford, NH 03884 89%88$122,105$427,900$308 cheaper homes ($54K less) · smaller
Holtsville, NY 11742 89%140$125,162$510,200$394 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Walkersville, MD 21793 89%382$121,971$459,400$226 Very close on everything we compare
Gig Harbor, WA 98329 89%2,526$110,316$518,700$356 pricier homes ($37K more)
Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 88%228$134,038$580,900$325 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Northwood, NH 03261 87%85$129,375$363,000$308 cheaper homes ($119K less) · smaller
Weare, NH 03281 87%86$118,271$396,300$242 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Danville, NH 03819 87%65$112,335$436,300$296 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller · newer homes
Barrington, NH 03825 87%84$110,323$399,100$316 cheaper homes ($82K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Sandown, NH 03873 87%67$135,040$483,400$324 more renters
North Berwick, ME 03906 87%92$105,156$432,900$325 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Islandia, NY 11749 87%146$116,313$477,400$366 smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Lagrangeville, NY 12540 87%151$111,320$483,100$251 Very close on everything we compare
Montgomery, NY 12549 87%179$122,734$407,900$258 cheaper homes ($74K less)
Lothian, MD 20711 87%377$113,576$429,000$224 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Foster, RI 02825 86%47$112,593$445,600$272 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more single-family homes
Mine Hill, NJ 07803 86%209$119,583$434,100$315 cheaper homes ($47K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Stanhope, NJ 07874 86%213$132,500$364,000$346 cheaper homes ($118K less)
Cochranville, PA 19330 86%303$109,779$387,100$223 cheaper homes ($94K less)
Gaston, OR 97119 86%2,577$115,515$629,000$300 pricier homes ($148K more)
West Milford, NJ 07480 85%193$132,676$379,900$292 cheaper homes ($102K less) · larger · older residents
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 85%229$123,750$451,700$256 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents

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.