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 Somerset, MA 02725

Somerset: median income $129,253, home value $417,300, $384/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Islandia, NY 11749 88%121$116,313$477,400$366 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
Pine Beach, NJ 08741 84%199$143,094$465,600$377 pricier homes ($48K more) · more single-family homes
Port Reading, NJ 07064 83%178$133,854$435,400$428 larger · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Port Monmouth, NJ 07758 82%177$115,298$530,000$401 pricier homes ($113K more) · larger · more renters
Mine Hill, NJ 07803 81%186$119,583$434,100$315 larger · younger residents · less walkable
Pine Valley, CA 91962 80%2,536$143,094$528,100$414 pricier homes ($111K more) · less walkable · newer homes
Medinah, IL 60157 77%867$136,434$532,200$233 pricier homes ($115K more) · more single-family homes
Clinton, CT 06413 76%76$124,824$380,000$315 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger · more renters
Pequannock, NJ 07440 76%170$147,188$591,500$422 pricier homes ($174K more) · larger · younger residents
Milltown, NJ 08850 76%191$141,601$470,700$410 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · younger residents
Spotswood, NJ 08884 76%191$104,702$369,500$370 cheaper homes ($48K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Quaker Hill, CT 06375 75%53$111,833$326,000$268 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Higganum, CT 06441 75%74$111,250$393,100$268 larger · more single-family homes
Island Heights, NJ 08732 75%198$110,000$561,200$390 pricier homes ($144K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Buchanan, NY 10511 75%147$128,218$525,500$414 pricier homes ($108K more) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Greenville, RI 02828 74%22$97,196$440,900$291 lower income ($32K less) · larger · more renters
Pownal, ME 04069 74%158$104,333$436,800$355 less walkable
Haddam, CT 06438 74%71$121,429$362,500$284 cheaper homes ($55K less) · more renters
Hazlet, NJ 07730 73%180$125,338$478,600$375 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 73%186$117,298$438,600$329 larger · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Clarksboro, NJ 08020 73%250$134,490$359,800$242 cheaper homes ($58K less) · 7 min longer commute · less walkable
Hope, RI 02831 72%20$137,181$462,200$299 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · younger residents
Middlefield, CT 06455 72%81$104,180$388,700$274 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($29K less) · less walkable
West Creek, NJ 08092 72%216$110,509$496,900$322 pricier homes ($80K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Marmora, NJ 08223 72%250$107,131$420,300$272 larger · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable

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.