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 Nashua, NH 03060

Nashua: median income $79,855, home value $362,600, $302/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Biddeford, ME 04005 89%71$74,647$396,000$308 pricier homes ($33K more) · more homeowners
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 89%145$63,652$301,700$229 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Worcester, MA 01604 87%38$73,505$352,500$271 more walkable
Danbury, CT 06810 85%139$76,933$402,100$287 pricier homes ($40K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Norwalk, CT 06854 85%153$86,679$460,500$436 pricier homes ($98K more)
Seattle, WA 98188 84%2,454$76,438$456,400$323 pricier homes ($94K more) · more walkable · newer homes
Lowell, MA 01854 81%10$72,709$412,000$330 pricier homes ($49K more) · more walkable
Laurel, MD 20708 81%380$83,367$451,500$249 pricier homes ($89K more) · 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Norfolk, VA 23503 81%475$67,649$293,100$223 cheaper homes ($70K less) · more walkable
Worcester, MA 01607 80%40$78,727$377,200$253 smaller · more walkable · older homes
Dover, NJ 07801 80%203$84,517$392,400$366 pricier homes ($30K more) · more homeowners · more single-family homes
Haverstraw, NY 10927 80%168$75,167$361,100$272 smaller · more homeowners · more walkable
Cohoes, NY 12047 80%114$66,071$246,800$226 cheaper homes ($116K less) · more walkable
Clinton, MA 01510 79%26$89,781$387,300$290 smaller · 5 min longer commute · more homeowners
Southbridge, MA 01550 79%55$66,287$294,800$215 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Groton, CT 06340 79%101$81,792$294,700$265 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Fitchburg, MA 01420 78%21$72,780$335,300$246 cheaper homes ($27K less) · more homeowners · more walkable
Vernon Rockville, CT 06066 78%81$85,356$275,500$226 cheaper homes ($87K less) · more homeowners
Middletown, CT 06457 78%103$79,463$295,300$235 cheaper homes ($67K less) · more homeowners · newer homes
West Haven, CT 06516 78%128$74,382$291,700$246 cheaper homes ($71K less) · larger · more homeowners
Plainfield, NJ 07060 78%212$78,602$393,800$348 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger · more walkable
Norfolk, VA 23505 78%478$58,579$326,300$221 cheaper homes ($36K less) · more walkable
Framingham, MA 01702 77%33$82,496$583,000$340 pricier homes ($220K more) · 6 min longer commute · more walkable
Lowell, MA 01852 77%12$80,906$424,300$328 pricier homes ($62K more) · more walkable
Vancouver, WA 98661 77%2,499$76,913$451,500$289 pricier homes ($89K more) · larger · more 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.