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 Oak Ridge, NJ 07438

Oak Ridge: median income $123,271, home value $436,900, $280/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732 94%195$140,304$448,700$261 Very close on everything we compare
Goshen, NY 10924 91%27$110,938$454,300$277 Very close on everything we compare
Warwick, NY 10990 91%18$125,870$501,600$312 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Jarrettsville, MD 21084 90%142$121,509$448,400$234 smaller
Shirley, MA 01464 89%182$122,365$427,600$294 smaller
Weare, NH 03281 89%202$118,271$396,300$242 cheaper homes ($41K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Chester, NY 10918 89%26$140,550$459,700$263 younger residents
Lagrangeville, NY 12540 89%59$111,320$483,100$251 pricier homes ($46K more) · younger residents
New Windsor, MD 21776 89%172$133,409$461,600$214 smaller
Lunenburg, MA 01462 88%180$112,992$463,800$320 pricier homes ($27K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Sturbridge, MA 01566 88%146$137,730$415,900$268 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Carmel, NY 10512 88%52$117,701$410,500$307 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Campbell Hall, NY 10916 88%32$135,556$492,400$295 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller
Poughquag, NY 12570 88%60$128,906$466,200$246 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · younger residents
Rutland, MA 01543 87%162$145,707$462,800$286 pricier homes ($26K more) · younger residents
Mahopac, NY 10541 87%46$138,617$508,500$333 pricier homes ($72K more) · larger · older homes
Stony Point, NY 10980 87%31$126,284$513,700$337 pricier homes ($77K more) · 7 min shorter commute
La Plata, MD 20646 87%217$131,974$450,200$214 larger
Walkersville, MD 21793 87%184$121,971$459,400$226 7 min shorter commute
Geneva, FL 32732 87%926$119,205$487,600$280 pricier homes ($51K more) · smaller
Pepperell, MA 01463 86%188$123,911$482,100$298 pricier homes ($45K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Charlton, MA 01507 86%153$117,587$427,500$272 9 min shorter commute
Sterling, MA 01564 86%172$129,063$498,800$327 pricier homes ($62K more) · older residents · 8 min shorter commute
Northwood, NH 03261 86%227$129,375$363,000$308 cheaper homes ($74K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Wingdale, NY 12594 86%66$144,202$385,000$269 cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller

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.