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 Middlefield, CT 06455

Middlefield: median income $104,180, home value $388,700, $274/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hurley, NY 12443 96%75$104,412$375,300$285 Very close on everything we compare
Hampden, MA 01036 95%41$104,536$358,200$279 cheaper homes ($31K less) · larger
Circleville, NY 10919 93%86$108,859$437,600$238 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Westmoreland, NH 03467 92%101$104,444$351,800$240 cheaper homes ($37K less) · newer homes
Pine Plains, NY 12567 92%59$103,750$348,500$339 cheaper homes ($40K less)
Colden, NY 14033 92%316$87,431$338,500$263 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Hartland, VT 05048 91%143$99,583$338,800$234 cheaper homes ($50K less)
East Chatham, NY 12060 91%75$101,548$399,400$231 Very close on everything we compare
Ghent, NY 12075 91%72$98,047$422,900$253 pricier homes ($34K more)
Dublin, NH 03444 90%101$104,773$429,600$219 pricier homes ($41K more)
Boston, NY 14025 90%318$115,188$267,200$248 cheaper homes ($122K less)
Clarklake, MI 49234 90%600$110,313$295,000$355 cheaper homes ($94K less)
New Berlin, WI 53146 90%795$110,035$346,100$254 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Lakeland, MN 55043 90%1,034$102,966$383,500$227 Very close on everything we compare
Rock Hill, NY 12775 89%97$112,600$398,400$228 newer homes
Kempton, PA 19529 88%174$94,286$385,900$207 6 min longer commute
Cornish, NH 03745 87%138$91,821$296,000$292 cheaper homes ($93K less) · newer homes
Salisbury, VT 05769 87%166$99,792$316,000$230 cheaper homes ($73K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Titusville, NJ 08560 87%140$128,516$420,300$302 pricier homes ($32K more)
Granby, MA 01033 86%52$119,297$352,600$277 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Northfield, MA 01360 86%82$103,375$375,800$206 6 min longer commute
Ashby, MA 01431 86%92$115,598$390,500$210 8 min longer commute
Pownal, ME 04069 86%208$104,333$436,800$355 pricier homes ($48K more) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Ceresco, MI 49033 86%639$94,750$326,600$204 cheaper homes ($62K less) · newer homes
Rocheport, MO 65279 86%1,056$103,516$332,700$211 cheaper homes ($56K less) · 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.