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 Middletown, NJ 07748

Middletown: median income $152,981, home value $600,600, $413/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Smithtown, NY 11787 94%57$143,101$679,800$424 pricier homes ($79K more)
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567 93%63$144,194$566,700$352 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 93%65$173,573$617,900$417 Very close on everything we compare
Trumbull, CT 06611 92%76$163,073$547,300$317 cheaper homes ($53K less)
East Northport, NY 11731 92%53$161,132$646,600$459 pricier homes ($46K more)
Huntington Station, NY 11746 92%49$164,589$695,200$444 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger
Nesconset, NY 11767 92%60$152,985$637,900$407 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Hauppauge, NY 11788 92%57$149,726$653,900$414 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller
Chelmsford, MA 01824 91%208$140,050$619,700$384 6 min shorter commute
North Reading, MA 01864 91%217$147,768$710,500$425 pricier homes ($110K more) · smaller
Wilmington, MA 01887 91%213$168,152$680,500$422 pricier homes ($80K more)
Greenlawn, NY 11740 91%51$152,386$693,700$461 pricier homes ($93K more) · smaller
Saint James, NY 11780 91%60$144,577$723,200$466 pricier homes ($123K more) · smaller
Marshfield, MA 02050 90%213$126,241$679,700$424 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($79K more)
Kings Park, NY 11754 90%57$123,393$624,700$414 lower income ($30K less) · smaller
Sayville, NY 11782 90%59$147,672$637,300$507 pricier homes ($37K more) · smaller
Rockville, MD 20853 90%182$159,080$631,900$302 pricier homes ($31K more)
Framingham, MA 01701 89%192$137,094$644,300$395 pricier homes ($44K more)
Pembroke, MA 02359 89%207$146,285$586,500$392 smaller · less walkable
Fairfield, CT 06825 89%72$135,504$630,600$395 pricier homes ($30K more) · older homes
New City, NY 10956 89%52$177,952$662,400$380 pricier homes ($62K more)
Commack, NY 11725 89%54$168,281$670,000$463 pricier homes ($69K more)
Walpole, MA 02081 88%192$156,250$687,500$396 pricier homes ($87K more)
Miller Place, NY 11764 88%70$146,813$615,900$377 smaller
Edgewater, MD 21037 88%165$145,787$560,300$317 cheaper homes ($40K less) · newer 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.