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 Wakefield, RI 02879

Wakefield: median income $112,231, home value $564,700, $445/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
North Easton, MA 02356 90%48$127,224$650,300$348 pricier homes ($86K more) · smaller
Freeport, ME 04032 90%182$107,326$508,400$372 cheaper homes ($56K less) · smaller
Yarmouth, ME 04096 89%177$110,216$639,700$434 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller · younger residents
York, ME 03909 88%126$115,608$638,400$414 pricier homes ($74K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Red Hook, NY 12571 88%126$118,967$431,200$328 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller
Guilford, CT 06437 87%61$137,615$515,000$301 higher income ($25K more) · cheaper homes ($50K less)
Fairfield, NJ 07004 87%149$115,980$688,500$393 pricier homes ($124K more) · smaller
Belmar, NJ 07719 87%159$119,828$700,900$488 pricier homes ($136K more)
Phoenix, AZ 85028 87%2,262$125,054$642,200$365 pricier homes ($78K more) · more walkable
Kennebunk, ME 04043 86%143$107,804$487,700$378 cheaper homes ($77K less) · smaller · older residents
Sandwich, MA 02563 85%58$121,455$617,800$441 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · older residents
Scarborough, ME 04074 85%160$135,018$556,800$413 7 min shorter commute
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 85%434$120,662$677,600$403 pricier homes ($113K more) · smaller · older residents
Santa Rosa, CA 95409 85%2,675$107,867$802,000$445 pricier homes ($237K more)
Anacortes, WA 98221 85%2,497$96,528$713,100$419 pricier homes ($148K more) · newer homes
Great Barrington, MA 01230 84%107$86,694$527,300$378 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($37K less) · smaller
Burlington, MA 01803 84%76$146,436$740,600$441 higher income ($34K more) · pricier homes ($176K more)
Rowley, MA 01969 84%93$132,734$667,300$375 pricier homes ($103K more) · smaller
Delafield, WI 53018 84%868$124,595$521,400$284 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Mound, MN 55364 84%1,136$108,725$459,400$260 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller
Gig Harbor, WA 98335 84%2,509$128,592$791,100$401 pricier homes ($226K more) · younger residents · newer homes
Foxboro, MA 02035 83%45$115,833$606,300$366 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
East Falmouth, MA 02536 83%51$100,497$558,600$495 Very close on everything we compare
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 83%30$97,361$521,800$377 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller · older homes
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444 83%148$117,959$539,000$431 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes

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.