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 Chester, CT 06412

Chester: median income $109,191, home value $442,200, $260/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Woodstock, VT 05091 88%153$112,396$572,200$327 pricier homes ($130K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Greenville, RI 02828 87%57$97,196$440,900$291 larger · more homeowners
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 84%77$97,361$521,800$377 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Great Barrington, MA 01230 83%72$86,694$527,300$378 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Port Monmouth, NJ 07758 83%109$115,298$530,000$401 pricier homes ($88K more) · younger residents
Lake George, NY 12845 83%153$100,774$355,900$325 cheaper homes ($86K less)
Tiverton, RI 02878 82%68$106,036$411,900$306 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger
Meredith, NH 03253 82%161$84,719$482,700$354 pricier homes ($41K more) · larger · less walkable
West Boylston, MA 01583 81%75$106,094$441,500$312 larger · younger residents
Buzzards Bay, MA 02532 81%100$87,773$497,600$374 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
Sunapee, NH 03782 81%138$110,175$412,000$363 cheaper homes ($30K less) · less walkable
Bristol, VT 05443 80%192$88,594$356,600$238 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger · younger residents
Vergennes, VT 05491 80%193$87,917$337,400$286 cheaper homes ($105K less) · larger · younger residents
Mound, MN 55364 80%1,092$108,725$459,400$260 larger · younger residents
Saint Louis, MO 63127 80%969$122,663$583,400$233 pricier homes ($141K more) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Enfield, NH 03748 79%154$95,089$388,500$290 cheaper homes ($54K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Pawling, NY 12564 79%60$111,324$446,800$266 larger · 7 min longer commute · less walkable
Elverson, PA 19520 79%194$100,088$417,200$201 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · less walkable
Seminole, FL 33776 79%1,104$105,337$466,600$292 larger · more homeowners
Manitou Springs, CO 80829 79%1,713$91,275$572,100$336 pricier homes ($130K more) · younger residents
Haydenville, MA 01039 78%69$116,429$423,100$403 smaller · less walkable
Williamsburg, MA 01096 78%71$104,375$374,900$248 cheaper homes ($67K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Wilton, NH 03086 78%105$113,750$381,600$284 cheaper homes ($61K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Eliot, ME 03903 78%147$101,522$498,900$363 pricier homes ($57K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Lafayette, NJ 07848 78%118$128,317$436,800$288 more homeowners · less walkable · newer 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.