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.

Reset

Towns most like Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

Buzzards Bay: median income $87,773, home value $497,600, $374/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Niantic, CT 06357 94%89$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($100K less)
Westerly, RI 02891 93%68$97,110$470,000$369 cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Greenville, RI 02828 92%51$97,196$440,900$291 cheaper homes ($57K less) · smaller
Tiverton, RI 02878 91%31$106,036$411,900$306 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Meredith, NH 03253 91%138$84,719$482,700$354 smaller
Westbrook, CT 06498 89%101$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($63K less) · smaller · older residents
Carson City, NV 89703 89%2,557$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($129K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 87%170$94,859$483,100$472 Very close on everything we compare
Boulder City, NV 89005 87%2,387$74,375$435,600$289 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Auburn, CA 95603 87%2,628$85,357$650,500$369 pricier homes ($153K more) · larger
Eliot, ME 03903 86%96$101,522$498,900$363 smaller · less walkable
Cape May, NJ 08204 86%298$82,466$461,400$536 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 86%481$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($60K less) · newer homes
Safety Harbor, FL 34695 86%1,169$95,238$439,300$316 cheaper homes ($58K less) · newer homes
Seminole, FL 33776 85%1,182$105,337$466,600$292 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more homeowners
Palisade, CO 81526 85%1,979$87,500$501,800$337 smaller · less walkable
Camino, CA 95709 85%2,612$79,780$578,700$298 pricier homes ($81K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
North Smithfield, RI 02896 84%52$108,983$457,400$295 cheaper homes ($40K less) · younger residents
Kennebunk, ME 04043 84%114$107,804$487,700$378 Very close on everything we compare
Merritt Island, FL 32952 84%1,089$102,726$425,700$253 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger
Jacksonville, OR 97530 84%2,650$89,239$617,400$313 pricier homes ($120K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Olympia, WA 98506 84%2,557$91,596$490,900$298 more renters
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 83%131$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller · less walkable
Vergennes, VT 05491 83%214$87,917$337,400$286 cheaper homes ($160K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pawcatuck, CT 06379 83%70$95,066$406,100$286 cheaper homes ($92K less) · younger 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.