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 Westerly, RI 02891

Westerly: median income $97,110, home value $470,000, $369/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 94%45$97,361$521,800$377 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 93%68$87,773$497,600$374 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Niantic, CT 06357 92%21$93,026$397,300$301 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller
Olympia, WA 98506 91%2,513$91,596$490,900$298 younger residents
Florence, MA 01062 90%80$87,588$421,000$358 cheaper homes ($49K less) · smaller
Kennebunk, ME 04043 90%154$107,804$487,700$378 smaller
Branford, CT 06405 90%52$105,225$401,200$286 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Rhinebeck, NY 12572 89%114$94,859$483,100$472 smaller
Great Barrington, MA 01230 88%98$86,694$527,300$378 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Hampton, NH 03842 88%120$95,422$548,500$423 pricier homes ($79K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Mashpee, MA 02649 87%71$95,299$562,200$420 pricier homes ($92K more) · newer homes
Meredith, NH 03253 87%157$84,719$482,700$354 smaller
Carson City, NV 89703 87%2,501$85,230$626,500$330 pricier homes ($157K more) · smaller
Salisbury, MA 01952 86%113$93,361$478,700$408 smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Eliot, ME 03903 86%133$101,522$498,900$363 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller
Waterford, CT 06385 86%17$100,484$365,400$302 cheaper homes ($105K less) · younger residents
Westbrook, CT 06498 86%34$91,202$434,300$328 cheaper homes ($36K less) · smaller
Cape May, NJ 08204 86%233$82,466$461,400$536 5 min shorter commute
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 86%425$86,193$437,500$368 cheaper homes ($33K less) · smaller · younger residents
Pawcatuck, CT 06379 85%2$95,066$406,100$286 cheaper homes ($64K less) · smaller · younger residents
Milford, CT 06460 85%65$104,360$412,600$347 cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger · younger residents
Eatontown, NJ 07724 85%139$102,756$522,100$381 pricier homes ($52K more) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Merritt Island, FL 32952 85%1,033$102,726$425,700$253 cheaper homes ($44K less) · more single-family homes
Safety Harbor, FL 34695 85%1,109$95,238$439,300$316 cheaper homes ($31K less) · more walkable
Traverse City, MI 49684 85%736$80,788$420,200$332 cheaper homes ($50K less) · 6 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.