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 Madison, CT 06443

Madison: median income $168,462, home value $584,900, $344/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Califon, NJ 07830 90%122$180,852$656,400$297 pricier homes ($72K more) · smaller
Kendall Park, NJ 08824 90%118$174,776$628,000$360 pricier homes ($43K more) · younger residents
Richboro, PA 18954 90%146$159,857$626,700$265 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Evergreen, CO 80439 90%1,714$156,218$900,300$369 pricier homes ($315K more)
Amherst, NH 03031 89%119$153,125$537,300$289 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
Duxbury, MA 02332 87%110$176,583$874,600$459 pricier homes ($290K more)
Ringoes, NJ 08551 86%130$162,617$595,800$314 smaller
East Setauket, NY 11733 86%36$173,281$683,400$408 pricier homes ($99K more) · younger residents
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301 85%554$167,143$708,300$271 pricier homes ($123K more) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Excelsior, MN 55331 85%1,083$159,450$737,000$273 pricier homes ($152K more)
Holliston, MA 01746 84%87$159,817$650,300$360 pricier homes ($65K more) · younger residents
Hollis, NH 03049 84%113$168,883$675,900$286 pricier homes ($91K more) · smaller
Medford, NJ 08055 84%153$155,710$496,400$259 cheaper homes ($89K less) · larger · younger residents
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 84%457$145,882$482,600$258 cheaper homes ($102K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 84%555$178,103$661,900$229 pricier homes ($77K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Northborough, MA 01532 83%86$153,199$620,000$331 pricier homes ($35K more) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Barrington, IL 60010 83%801$177,566$638,100$255 pricier homes ($53K more) · larger · younger residents
Littleton, CO 80121 83%1,694$142,056$707,900$311 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($123K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Westford, MA 01886 82%107$187,198$748,500$371 pricier homes ($164K more) · younger residents
Boxford, MA 01921 82%126$200,672$904,200$357 higher income ($32K more) · pricier homes ($319K more) · smaller
Towaco, NJ 07082 82%94$205,023$702,900$410 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($118K more) · smaller
Pennington, NJ 08534 82%132$175,573$573,000$324 younger residents
Lebanon, NJ 08833 82%124$172,454$604,400$323 smaller · 8 min longer commute
Phoenix, MD 21131 82%244$197,619$686,000$226 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($101K more) · smaller
Marietta, GA 30068 82%821$150,101$599,400$228 larger · younger residents

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.