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.

Reset

Towns most like Kingston, NH 03848

Kingston: median income $105,330, home value $492,900, $317/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Pawling, NY 12564 89%159$111,324$446,800$266 cheaper homes ($46K less) · younger residents
Chester, MD 21619 88%386$107,639$486,600$297 younger residents
Lafayette, NJ 07848 87%225$128,317$436,800$288 cheaper homes ($56K less) · more homeowners
Palisade, CO 81526 87%1,947$87,500$501,800$337 7 min shorter commute
Stevenson, WA 98648 87%2,479$96,696$555,500$380 pricier homes ($63K more) · smaller · younger residents
Merrimac, MA 01860 86%6$123,054$553,400$329 pricier homes ($61K more) · younger residents
Street, MD 21154 85%356$97,658$455,400$257 cheaper homes ($38K less) · younger residents
Bethlehem, CT 06751 84%141$108,929$410,900$249 cheaper homes ($82K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
El Dorado, CA 95623 84%2,584$109,102$601,800$335 pricier homes ($109K more) · younger residents
West Brookfield, MA 01585 83%72$87,857$344,000$273 cheaper homes ($149K less)
Harrisville, RI 02830 83%71$121,111$408,700$259 cheaper homes ($84K less) · younger residents
Valley, NE 68064 83%1,296$100,450$407,700$277 cheaper homes ($85K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Auburn, CA 95602 83%2,586$97,466$688,500$339 pricier homes ($196K more) · larger
Sterling, MA 01564 82%49$129,063$498,800$327 Very close on everything we compare
Chepachet, RI 02814 82%76$110,764$390,500$298 cheaper homes ($102K less) · more homeowners
Tiverton, RI 02878 82%89$106,036$411,900$306 cheaper homes ($81K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Buxton, ME 04093 82%57$100,144$356,800$332 cheaper homes ($136K less) · younger residents
Columbia, CT 06237 82%105$127,000$361,500$243 cheaper homes ($131K less)
Beacon Falls, CT 06403 82%144$101,516$350,300$279 cheaper homes ($143K less) · younger residents
Woodbury, CT 06798 82%144$131,480$469,900$250 higher income ($26K more) · larger
Elverson, PA 19520 82%310$100,088$417,200$201 cheaper homes ($76K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Dousman, WI 53118 82%879$108,772$372,600$274 cheaper homes ($120K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Custer, SD 57730 82%1,618$83,469$378,800$279 cheaper homes ($114K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Colfax, CA 95713 82%2,577$87,839$487,000$312 larger · younger residents
Penn Valley, CA 95946 82%2,586$84,795$565,700$257 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger · more single-family homes

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.