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 Rochester, MA 02770

Rochester: median income $120,320, home value $601,200, $348/sq ft, 37-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bluemont, VA 20135 96%412$114,219$573,500$347 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 92%219$134,038$580,900$325 Very close on everything we compare
White Hall, MD 21161 92%332$108,094$472,600$287 cheaper homes ($129K less)
Deerfield, NH 03037 91%97$130,371$424,000$293 cheaper homes ($177K less)
Campbell Hall, NY 10916 91%177$135,556$492,400$295 cheaper homes ($109K less) · 5 min longer commute
Foster, RI 02825 90%45$112,593$445,600$272 cheaper homes ($156K less)
Chester, NH 03036 90%86$142,212$552,300$298 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Amissville, VA 20106 90%433$108,469$521,900$281 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Dunbarton, NH 03046 89%101$124,348$484,100$272 cheaper homes ($117K less) · smaller
Nottingham, NH 03290 89%95$122,201$457,500$345 cheaper homes ($144K less) · younger residents
Strafford, NH 03884 89%104$122,105$427,900$308 cheaper homes ($173K less)
Blairstown, NJ 07825 89%220$123,785$423,400$258 cheaper homes ($178K less) · larger
Great Meadows, NJ 07838 89%221$121,599$440,100$265 cheaper homes ($161K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Glen Gardner, NJ 08826 89%223$123,750$451,700$256 cheaper homes ($150K less)
Lagrangeville, NY 12540 89%149$111,320$483,100$251 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger
Jarrettsville, MD 21084 89%329$121,509$448,400$234 cheaper homes ($153K less)
Palo Cedro, CA 96073 89%2,633$120,469$567,000$274 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Sanbornton, NH 03269 88%129$107,083$450,000$319 cheaper homes ($151K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Catlett, VA 20119 88%418$115,757$560,700$260 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Scandia, MN 55073 88%1,124$128,723$462,400$249 cheaper homes ($139K less)
Bailey, CO 80421 88%1,811$98,452$578,700$316 6 min longer commute
El Dorado, CA 95623 88%2,610$109,102$601,800$335 Very close on everything we compare
Rescue, CA 95672 88%2,615$146,769$767,400$331 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($166K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Kingston, WA 98346 88%2,520$114,779$612,800$348 larger
West Kingston, RI 02892 87%43$135,809$490,600$269 cheaper homes ($111K less)

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.