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 Sussex, NJ 07461

Sussex: median income $106,981, home value $370,000, $262/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Westminster, MD 21158 96%170$109,827$384,700$223 Very close on everything we compare
Pine Bush, NY 12566 93%30$112,831$357,000$274 smaller
Uxbridge, MA 01569 91%164$124,222$443,400$305 pricier homes ($73K more)
Townsend, MA 01469 90%179$103,801$425,800$268 pricier homes ($56K more) · smaller
Seymour, CT 06483 90%80$107,708$370,000$242 6 min shorter commute
Joppa, MD 21085 90%155$113,714$348,600$210 Very close on everything we compare
Barre, MA 01005 89%152$111,148$392,600$247 smaller
Lunenburg, MA 01462 89%175$112,992$463,800$320 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller
Buxton, ME 04093 89%266$100,144$356,800$332 smaller
Carmel, NY 10512 89%50$117,701$410,500$307 pricier homes ($41K more)
Washingtonville, NY 10992 89%26$112,353$413,700$289 pricier homes ($44K more) · smaller · younger residents
Shirley, MA 01464 88%178$122,365$427,600$294 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Charlton, MA 01507 88%150$117,587$427,500$272 pricier homes ($58K more) · 5 min shorter commute
New Milford, CT 06776 88%66$104,112$387,000$275 8 min shorter commute
Patterson, NY 12563 88%56$98,415$412,300$264 pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Hampstead, MD 21074 88%163$108,536$378,100$217 6 min shorter commute
Wauconda, IL 60084 88%701$110,090$303,200$209 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Monson, MA 01057 87%132$98,508$345,300$239 smaller · older residents
Blackstone, MA 01504 87%168$94,191$404,400$286 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller
Middleboro, MA 02346 87%197$97,056$468,700$299 pricier homes ($99K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Pascoag, RI 02859 87%158$124,592$385,500$288 smaller
Brewster, NY 10509 87%53$116,831$458,300$291 pricier homes ($88K more)
Goshen, NY 10924 87%18$110,938$454,300$277 pricier homes ($84K more)
Montgomery, NY 12549 87%28$122,734$407,900$258 pricier homes ($38K more) · smaller
Wallkill, NY 12589 87%36$120,815$378,000$261 6 min shorter commute

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.