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 Holmdel, NJ 07733

Holmdel: median income $166,849, home value $843,300, $413/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Duxbury, MA 02332 91%213$176,583$874,600$459 pricier homes ($31K more) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Doylestown, PA 18902 89%49$161,267$668,200$301 cheaper homes ($175K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33332 89%1,053$172,730$909,000$395 pricier homes ($66K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Clayton, CA 94517 87%2,532$168,921$1,032,100$481 pricier homes ($189K more) · younger residents
Walpole, MA 02081 86%194$156,250$687,500$396 cheaper homes ($156K less) · younger residents
Evergreen, CO 80439 86%1,642$156,218$900,300$369 pricier homes ($57K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Melville, NY 11747 85%49$159,540$757,800$486 cheaper homes ($86K less) · more apartments and townhomes
New Hope, PA 18938 85%43$184,833$735,600$397 cheaper homes ($108K less) · older residents
Mount Sinai, NY 11766 84%71$153,235$649,600$354 cheaper homes ($194K less) · smaller
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 84%2,414$172,188$1,155,900$553 pricier homes ($313K more)
Southborough, MA 01772 83%190$201,568$841,700$354 higher income ($35K more) · smaller · younger residents
Westford, MA 01886 83%208$187,198$748,500$371 cheaper homes ($95K less) · younger residents · 7 min shorter commute
Norfolk, MA 02056 83%190$200,720$725,200$344 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($118K less) · younger residents
Ridgefield, CT 06877 83%72$179,219$836,200$399 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Golden, CO 80403 83%1,636$151,276$838,000$344 9 min shorter commute
Yorba Linda, CA 92887 83%2,416$163,953$1,179,100$575 pricier homes ($336K more)
Groton, MA 01450 82%205$193,292$743,400$325 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($100K less) · smaller
Littleton, MA 01460 82%204$149,722$658,300$374 cheaper homes ($185K less) · smaller · younger residents
Northborough, MA 01532 82%187$153,199$620,000$331 cheaper homes ($223K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Wrentham, MA 02093 82%187$151,676$654,900$355 cheaper homes ($188K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Redding, CT 06896 82%74$186,060$706,300$335 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · older homes
Clifton, VA 20124 82%204$221,060$884,800$300 higher income ($54K more) · pricier homes ($42K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Holliston, MA 01746 81%190$159,817$650,300$360 cheaper homes ($193K less) · older homes
Stow, MA 01775 81%197$185,809$729,600$339 cheaper homes ($114K less) · smaller · older homes
North Reading, MA 01864 81%220$147,768$710,500$425 cheaper homes ($133K less) · younger residents · older 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.