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 Port Reading, NJ 07064

Port Reading: median income $133,854, home value $435,400, $428/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Islandia, NY 11749 86%59$116,313$477,400$366 pricier homes ($42K more) · less walkable
Somerset, MA 02725 83%178$129,253$417,300$384 smaller · older residents · 5 min shorter commute
Buchanan, NY 10511 82%50$128,218$525,500$414 pricier homes ($90K more)
Islip Terrace, NY 11752 78%57$151,917$527,700$380 pricier homes ($92K more) · larger · less walkable
Rocky Point, NY 11778 78%73$126,349$456,500$412 larger · less walkable
Sound Beach, NY 11789 78%72$131,528$428,500$407 larger · less walkable
Thiells, NY 10984 77%46$121,250$598,600$374 pricier homes ($163K more) · younger residents · less walkable
Higganum, CT 06441 76%107$111,250$393,100$268 cheaper homes ($42K less) · larger
Thornwood, NY 10594 76%45$163,542$683,200$506 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($248K more)
Forestdale, MA 02644 75%209$108,158$485,700$361 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($50K more) · less walkable
Holbrook, MA 02343 74%200$115,032$464,700$406 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
East Wareham, MA 02538 74%204$123,750$392,000$404 cheaper homes ($43K less) · more renters · less walkable
Medinah, IL 60157 74%723$136,434$532,200$233 pricier homes ($97K more) · older residents
Hope, RI 02831 73%162$137,181$462,200$299 pricier homes ($27K more) · less walkable
Northwood, NH 03261 73%240$129,375$363,000$308 cheaper homes ($72K less) · less walkable
North Babylon, NY 11703 73%50$137,158$521,700$424 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Hot Sulphur Springs, CO 80451 72%1,668$111,875$421,100$349 smaller · less walkable · newer homes
Brookhaven, NY 11719 71%72$126,250$658,700$410 pricier homes ($223K more) · less walkable
Bethpage, NY 11714 70%42$120,172$600,700$496 pricier homes ($165K more) · larger
Oxford, MA 01540 69%163$110,579$376,100$302 cheaper homes ($59K less) · larger · more renters
East Taunton, MA 02718 69%190$109,500$469,200$300 pricier homes ($34K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Somerset, MA 02726 69%181$111,046$419,000$345 larger · older residents · less walkable
North Dighton, MA 02764 69%184$135,640$533,800$369 pricier homes ($98K more) · less walkable
Leicester, MA 01524 68%167$102,099$436,200$278 lower income ($32K less) · larger · less walkable
Stony Point, NY 10980 68%47$126,284$513,700$337 pricier homes ($78K more) · larger · less walkable

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.