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 Wareham, MA 02571

Wareham: median income $94,265, home value $441,900, $420/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tiverton, RI 02878 81%26$106,036$411,900$306 cheaper homes ($30K less) · newer homes
Niantic, CT 06357 81%83$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($45K less) · newer homes
Westbrook, CT 06498 80%96$91,202$434,300$328 smaller · 6 min shorter commute · newer homes
Greenville, RI 02828 79%44$97,196$440,900$291 smaller · newer homes
North Scituate, RI 02857 78%47$108,679$428,100$265 less walkable
Meredith, NH 03253 77%136$84,719$482,700$354 pricier homes ($41K more) · smaller · newer homes
North Grosvenordale, CT 06255 77%63$88,750$312,200$284 cheaper homes ($130K less) · smaller · less walkable
Manville, NJ 08835 77%219$93,333$354,300$363 cheaper homes ($88K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Lake George, NY 12845 77%190$100,774$355,900$325 cheaper homes ($86K less) · smaller · newer homes
East Aurora, NY 14052 77%409$99,970$343,700$258 cheaper homes ($98K less) · larger
North Smithfield, RI 02896 76%46$108,983$457,400$295 younger residents · newer homes
Clinton, CT 06413 75%99$124,824$380,000$315 higher income ($31K more) · cheaper homes ($62K less)
Spotswood, NJ 08884 75%214$104,702$369,500$370 cheaper homes ($72K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Islip, NY 11751 75%148$116,559$563,100$434 pricier homes ($121K more) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Fairless Hills, PA 19030 75%242$96,603$376,200$270 cheaper homes ($66K less) · younger residents
Guerneville, CA 95446 75%2,729$85,833$610,600$511 pricier homes ($169K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Charlestown, RI 02813 74%55$109,404$525,500$412 pricier homes ($84K more) · newer homes
Westerly, RI 02891 74%63$97,110$470,000$369 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
North Branford, CT 06471 74%111$109,388$371,200$273 cheaper homes ($71K less) · smaller · younger residents
Trenton, NJ 08620 74%233$105,368$373,800$307 cheaper homes ($68K less) · younger residents
Pine Plains, NY 12567 74%153$103,750$348,500$339 cheaper homes ($93K less) · smaller · less walkable
Ottsville, PA 18942 74%248$100,417$512,200$423 pricier homes ($70K more) · smaller · older residents
Ferndale, CA 95536 74%2,741$73,375$566,000$336 pricier homes ($124K more) · smaller · more renters
Camino, CA 95709 74%2,606$79,780$578,700$298 pricier homes ($137K more) · smaller · younger residents
Eliot, ME 03903 73%95$101,522$498,900$363 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter 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.