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 Etna, NH 03750

Etna: median income $250,000+*, home value $881,000, $423/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Gladstone, NJ 07934 69%242$245,429$845,500$451 cheaper homes ($36K less) · older residents · 5 min longer commute
Lookout Mountain, TN 37350 65%923$201,000$855,300$392 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Nashville, TN 37220 64%933$180,417$818,200$392 lower income ($70K less) · cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Harvard, MA 01451 62%90$214,792$856,200$349 lower income ($35K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
West Simsbury, CT 06092 62%131$204,458$486,900$254 lower income ($46K less) · cheaper homes ($394K less) · larger
Carlisle, MA 01741 61%93$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 pricier homes ($223K more) · larger · 14 min longer commute
Martinsville, NJ 08836 60%246$229,726$743,700$376 cheaper homes ($137K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Highland, MD 20777 60%398$226,146$861,900$282 larger · 11 min longer commute
Sherborn, MA 01770 59%110$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 pricier homes ($146K more) · larger · 14 min longer commute
South Walpole, MA 02071 59%121$213,885$651,800$374 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($229K less) · larger
Dover, MA 02030 58%112$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 pricier homes ($459K more) · larger · 14 min longer commute
South Glastonbury, CT 06073 57%143$201,477$560,900$270 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($320K less) · larger
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 57%226$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 pricier homes ($202K more) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Thornton, PA 19373 57%314$192,708$755,800$277 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($125K less) · larger
Millington, NJ 07946 56%241$208,587$801,700$417 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Austin, TX 78733 56%1,679$206,368$1,008,600$407 lower income ($44K less) · pricier homes ($128K more) · larger
Topsfield, MA 01983 55%98$195,718$853,400$402 lower income ($54K less) · cheaper homes ($28K less) · larger
Glenwood, MD 21738 55%394$250,000+*$914,300$268 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Terrace Park, OH 45174 55%700$193,750$603,800$359 lower income ($56K less) · cheaper homes ($277K less) · larger
Waterford, VA 20197 54%420$190,703$1,080,200$310 lower income ($59K less) · pricier homes ($199K more) · larger
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 52%208$213,981$946,400$468 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Chester, NJ 07930 52%238$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($110K less) · larger · 10 min longer commute
Dayton, MD 21036 52%396$218,036$881,300$264 lower income ($32K less) · larger · older residents
Saint Louis, MO 63131 52%1,009$225,493$778,100$283 cheaper homes ($103K less) · larger · older residents
Cumberland Center, ME 04021 51%97$172,468$579,000$388 lower income ($78K less) · cheaper homes ($302K less) · larger

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.