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 Merrimack, NH 03054

Merrimack: median income $127,303, home value $458,700, $264/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sussex, WI 53089 93%843$120,875$418,900$248 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Bartlett, IL 60103 93%852$133,793$379,000$232 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Littleton, CO 80128 93%1,747$121,436$586,000$269 pricier homes ($127K more)
Tyngsboro, MA 01879 92%14$129,348$552,500$331 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller
Chalfont, PA 18914 91%261$148,824$491,300$272 pricier homes ($33K more)
Perkasie, PA 18944 91%259$130,997$426,100$248 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Harleysville, PA 19438 91%269$138,134$480,300$246 Very close on everything we compare
Schwenksville, PA 19473 91%273$138,819$476,300$248 smaller
Severn, MD 21144 91%374$136,684$483,700$239 pricier homes ($25K more)
Longwood, FL 32779 91%1,122$121,826$480,200$249 Very close on everything we compare
Clarkston, MI 48348 91%602$129,410$444,500$212 more single-family homes
Belchertown, MA 01007 90%61$108,125$371,400$258 cheaper homes ($87K less) · smaller
Southington, CT 06489 90%112$126,465$379,600$269 cheaper homes ($79K less)
Brookfield, CT 06804 90%137$148,945$480,200$283 smaller
Arnold, MD 21012 90%370$139,432$563,800$270 pricier homes ($105K more)
Bel Air, MD 21015 90%340$137,281$443,400$211 5 min longer commute
Yorktown, VA 23692 90%473$109,066$417,200$222 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Waukesha, WI 53189 90%848$117,008$406,200$243 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Oregon, WI 53575 90%903$107,885$432,800$230 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Hudson, WI 54016 90%1,063$113,085$452,000$224 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Paul, MN 55127 90%1,080$117,917$433,200$223 cheaper homes ($26K less) · smaller
Norton, MA 02766 89%64$124,535$501,400$312 pricier homes ($43K more) · 6 min longer commute
Gorham, ME 04038 89%77$112,312$460,900$301 smaller
Windham, ME 04062 89%85$107,934$388,900$317 cheaper homes ($70K less)
South Windsor, CT 06074 89%89$144,961$375,100$256 cheaper homes ($84K 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.