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 Plainville, CT 06062

Plainville: median income $84,310, home value $253,900, $247/sq ft, 21-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Agawam, MA 01001 94%30$75,342$295,700$249 pricier homes ($42K more)
Barre, VT 05641 94%175$76,855$253,200$203 Very close on everything we compare
Depew, NY 14043 93%310$74,112$212,100$204 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Reading, PA 19607 93%188$81,346$228,800$183 cheaper homes ($25K less)
Waterford, NY 12188 92%89$92,279$281,400$228 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Port Washington, WI 53074 92%773$79,423$296,600$233 pricier homes ($43K more)
Rensselaer, NY 12144 91%80$90,738$249,700$213 Very close on everything we compare
Buffalo, NY 14227 91%312$68,928$208,800$227 cheaper homes ($45K less)
Racine, WI 53406 91%770$82,792$289,700$188 pricier homes ($36K more) · newer homes
Saint Albans, VT 05478 90%217$71,203$316,400$224 pricier homes ($63K more)
Bellefonte, PA 16823 90%260$76,245$272,800$188 larger
Lebanon, PA 17042 90%206$74,831$237,300$186 larger
Wind Gap, PA 18091 90%141$80,464$277,600$271 smaller
Newark, DE 19713 90%204$76,493$292,600$215 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · younger residents
Tilton, NH 03276 89%140$82,425$272,700$250 smaller · less walkable
Rochester, NH 03867 89%148$78,674$273,900$279 6 min longer commute
South Glens Falls, NY 12803 89%118$82,057$231,300$229 smaller · younger residents
Erie, PA 16506 89%376$81,060$237,300$201 Very close on everything we compare
Palmyra, PA 17078 89%216$93,135$305,700$190 pricier homes ($52K more)
Gettysburg, PA 17325 89%261$80,948$287,200$191 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Brookhaven, PA 19015 89%182$82,450$246,700$238 Very close on everything we compare
Willoughby, OH 44094 89%441$78,772$259,900$187 larger
West Bend, WI 53095 89%788$80,830$305,400$207 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger
Bridgeton, MO 63044 89%946$77,819$238,100$165 smaller
Laconia, NH 03246 88%149$73,241$339,700$305 pricier homes ($86K 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.