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 Budd Lake, NJ 07828

Budd Lake: median income $103,320, home value $457,700, $325/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Garnerville, NY 10923 93%45$100,469$471,400$332 smaller
Nashua, NH 03063 91%212$107,630$391,400$291 cheaper homes ($66K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Newmarket, NH 03857 91%247$100,845$455,000$322 smaller
Ayer, MA 01432 90%200$101,966$463,800$344 smaller · more homeowners
Marlborough, MA 01752 90%194$91,968$513,100$303 pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
Milford, NH 03055 90%208$97,768$398,800$268 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Suffern, NY 10901 88%36$108,041$542,000$370 pricier homes ($84K more) · larger · more homeowners
Hatfield, PA 19440 88%50$99,408$438,500$258 Very close on everything we compare
University Place, WA 98467 88%2,377$91,354$623,800$326 pricier homes ($166K more)
Plainville, MA 02762 87%194$104,106$476,000$337 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Middletown, NY 10941 87%47$99,238$348,200$255 cheaper homes ($110K less)
Derry, NH 03038 86%225$108,322$430,500$315 cheaper homes ($27K less) · larger · more homeowners
Dover, NH 03820 85%254$94,897$436,100$328 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Norwalk, CT 06850 85%70$123,633$581,200$390 pricier homes ($124K more)
Coram, NY 11727 85%91$103,287$443,200$341 larger · older residents · more homeowners
Clinton, MA 01510 84%191$89,781$387,300$290 cheaper homes ($70K less) · older homes
South Grafton, MA 01560 84%182$107,031$484,800$284 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Hudson, MA 01749 84%195$103,400$496,800$357 pricier homes ($39K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Norwalk, CT 06851 84%72$111,341$587,400$407 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger · older residents
Highland, NY 12528 84%70$92,462$366,400$270 cheaper homes ($91K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Atlanta, GA 30360 84%709$97,543$425,700$227 cheaper homes ($32K less) · more walkable
Puyallup, WA 98372 84%2,363$98,152$589,900$325 pricier homes ($132K more) · larger · newer homes
Whitinsville, MA 01588 83%181$92,486$427,100$310 cheaper homes ($31K less) · smaller · older homes
Amesbury, MA 01913 83%239$103,554$519,300$385 pricier homes ($62K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Weymouth, MA 02188 83%216$107,335$594,000$396 pricier homes ($136K more) · older residents · more walkable

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.