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 Rockland, MA 02370

Rockland: median income $112,405, home value $472,900, $353/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Amityville, NY 11701 89%164$117,033$499,500$442 pricier homes ($27K more) · larger
Patchogue, NY 11772 88%143$105,245$474,800$400 larger
Seymour, CT 06483 86%123$107,708$370,000$242 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Dunellen, NJ 08812 86%213$118,316$442,900$356 cheaper homes ($30K less) · more walkable
Old Bridge, NJ 08857 86%214$109,312$486,600$372 larger · newer homes
Brewster, NY 10509 86%147$116,831$458,300$291 Very close on everything we compare
Coram, NY 11727 86%138$103,287$443,200$341 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · newer homes
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 86%139$120,573$496,600$337 more single-family homes
Hatboro, PA 19040 86%256$114,293$384,900$285 cheaper homes ($88K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Bethel, CT 06801 85%138$116,541$434,600$296 cheaper homes ($38K less) · newer homes
Wharton, NJ 07885 85%208$100,716$380,900$333 cheaper homes ($92K less) · older residents · more renters
South Amboy, NJ 08879 85%209$92,786$389,800$360 cheaper homes ($83K less) · more renters
Suffern, NY 10901 85%180$108,041$542,000$370 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger
Telford, PA 18969 85%262$108,995$385,300$237 cheaper homes ($88K less) · newer homes
Salem, NH 03079 84%48$110,490$473,300$340 larger · newer homes
Trenton, NJ 08620 84%237$105,368$373,800$307 cheaper homes ($99K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Sayreville, NJ 08872 84%212$97,489$447,200$362 cheaper homes ($26K less) · more renters · newer homes
Islip, NY 11751 84%154$116,559$563,100$434 pricier homes ($90K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Plaistow, NH 03865 83%50$108,317$404,500$312 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller · newer homes
Bloomingdale, NJ 07403 83%193$128,010$431,600$410 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · more single-family homes
Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442 83%191$124,454$442,400$348 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · more walkable
Spotswood, NJ 08884 83%217$104,702$369,500$370 cheaper homes ($103K less) · smaller · older residents
Garnerville, NY 10923 83%172$100,469$471,400$332 smaller · more renters
Holtsville, NY 11742 83%143$125,162$510,200$394 pricier homes ($37K more) · newer homes
Lanham, MD 20706 83%381$104,523$429,000$242 cheaper homes ($44K less) · 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.