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 Watertown, CT 06795

Watertown: median income $104,850, home value $365,500, $244/sq ft, 24-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Merritt Island, FL 32952 95%1,014$102,726$425,700$253 pricier homes ($60K more) · larger
East Longmeadow, MA 01028 94%45$106,424$379,200$259 Very close on everything we compare
East Aurora, NY 14052 93%292$99,970$343,700$258 older homes
Duluth, MN 55803 93%1,004$105,888$336,000$231 cheaper homes ($30K less)
Valatie, NY 12184 92%64$98,622$355,200$276 smaller
Elma, NY 14059 92%294$113,555$346,500$252 smaller
Pottstown, PA 19465 92%165$107,825$404,500$233 pricier homes ($39K more)
Chesterland, OH 44026 92%425$111,761$330,800$194 cheaper homes ($35K less)
Lake Orion, MI 48362 92%526$115,230$346,900$223 younger residents
New Berlin, WI 53146 92%773$110,035$346,100$254 smaller
Tiverton, RI 02878 91%100$106,036$411,900$306 pricier homes ($46K more)
Vineland, NJ 08361 91%177$99,050$285,900$207 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Chardon, OH 44024 91%418$107,000$324,800$200 cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Westminster, MA 01473 90%90$106,331$422,000$302 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller
Greenville, RI 02828 90%83$97,196$440,900$291 pricier homes ($75K more) · smaller
Ballston Lake, NY 12019 90%98$112,420$400,400$271 pricier homes ($35K more)
Syracuse, NY 13215 90%185$113,864$304,900$201 cheaper homes ($61K less)
Seekonk, MA 02771 89%94$120,613$482,800$314 pricier homes ($117K more)
Vergennes, VT 05491 89%175$87,917$337,400$286 cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Wynantskill, NY 12198 89%79$113,083$285,100$237 cheaper homes ($80K less) · smaller
Jamesville, NY 13078 89%178$119,191$313,000$221 cheaper homes ($53K less)
Whitehouse, OH 43571 89%552$108,143$296,600$204 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Livonia, MI 48154 89%529$104,867$304,700$198 cheaper homes ($61K less) · larger
Mound, MN 55364 89%1,055$108,725$459,400$260 pricier homes ($94K more) · 5 min longer commute
Belchertown, MA 01007 88%59$108,125$371,400$258 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.