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.

Reset

Towns most like Matawan, NJ 07747

Matawan: median income $124,383, home value $485,600, $372/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
North Attleboro, MA 02760 92%186$112,027$478,700$330 Very close on everything we compare
Annapolis, MD 21403 90%157$123,329$582,500$366 pricier homes ($97K more)
Nanuet, NY 10954 89%49$116,332$533,000$383 pricier homes ($47K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Bowie, MD 20716 89%167$125,034$429,600$250 cheaper homes ($56K less)
Randolph, MA 02368 88%205$109,665$496,800$346 Very close on everything we compare
Springfield, VA 22150 88%193$123,114$635,900$335 pricier homes ($150K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Stoughton, MA 02072 87%201$104,794$523,800$335 pricier homes ($38K more)
Alexandria, VA 22309 87%192$107,376$567,200$327 pricier homes ($82K more)
Yonkers, NY 10710 86%44$108,845$560,000$392 pricier homes ($74K more) · older homes
Hudson, MA 01749 85%195$103,400$496,800$357 smaller · 5 min shorter commute · less walkable
Ossining, NY 10562 85%56$115,697$498,700$392 more renters · older homes
Silver Spring, MD 20902 85%177$114,486$551,200$316 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · older homes
Hercules, CA 94547 85%2,545$129,397$769,400$430 pricier homes ($284K more) · newer homes
Mansfield, MA 02048 84%192$125,273$603,500$353 pricier homes ($118K more) · less walkable
South Weymouth, MA 02190 84%210$99,657$589,700$397 pricier homes ($104K more) · smaller · less walkable
Langhorne, PA 19047 84%39$109,530$467,000$285 8 min shorter commute
Haverhill, MA 01835 83%230$113,578$468,800$311 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Braintree, MA 02184 83%209$122,214$656,800$428 pricier homes ($171K more) · older homes
Silver Spring, MD 20901 83%176$131,386$589,800$337 pricier homes ($104K more) · older homes
Miami, FL 33173 83%1,076$88,271$479,500$368 lower income ($36K less)
La Grange, IL 60525 83%715$116,918$438,000$296 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 9 min shorter commute
Amesbury, MA 01913 82%240$103,554$519,300$385 pricier homes ($34K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Bridgewater, MA 02324 82%201$112,726$533,600$318 pricier homes ($48K more) · less walkable
Abington, MA 02351 82%207$125,400$539,600$350 pricier homes ($54K more) · smaller · less walkable
Warrington, PA 18976 82%49$123,285$536,200$290 pricier homes ($51K more) · older residents · 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.