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 Columbia, NJ 07832

Columbia: median income $106,424, home value $355,200, $237/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Barto, PA 19504 98%47$98,859$388,300$225 pricier homes ($33K more)
Earleville, MD 21919 97%114$106,500$373,200$224 Very close on everything we compare
Center City, MN 55012 97%944$101,607$386,600$226 pricier homes ($31K more) · smaller
Ashby, MA 01431 94%205$115,598$390,500$210 pricier homes ($35K more)
Lebanon, CT 06249 94%154$109,135$345,900$216 larger
Canterbury, CT 06331 94%167$103,198$334,200$243 Very close on everything we compare
East Haddam, CT 06423 94%143$107,549$373,700$306 Very close on everything we compare
Bradford, NH 03221 93%225$109,803$325,400$337 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
Sanbornville, NH 03872 93%274$109,583$334,400$278 Very close on everything we compare
Bozrah, CT 06334 93%156$107,969$310,400$236 cheaper homes ($45K less) · smaller
Metamora, MI 48455 93%445$103,835$367,900$235 larger
Lake Park, MN 56554 93%1,118$94,792$376,400$307 Very close on everything we compare
Holt, MO 64048 93%1,023$103,131$337,900$255 Very close on everything we compare
Alton, NH 03809 92%262$106,397$387,500$270 pricier homes ($32K more)
Morris, CT 06763 92%110$109,853$394,200$257 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Kempton, PA 19529 92%47$94,286$385,900$207 pricier homes ($31K more)
Freeland, MD 21053 92%123$89,497$408,300$238 pricier homes ($53K more)
Armada, MI 48005 92%424$105,734$331,100$181 Very close on everything we compare
Gilmanton, NH 03237 91%253$111,359$345,400$275 younger residents
New Hartford, CT 06057 91%123$117,906$380,200$284 pricier homes ($25K more) · larger
Athens, NY 12015 91%112$91,845$306,300$226 cheaper homes ($49K less)
Berne, NY 12023 91%125$112,885$302,300$210 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller
Ghent, NY 12075 91%119$98,047$422,900$253 pricier homes ($68K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Salt Point, NY 12578 91%88$108,194$372,800$268 smaller
Alexandria, OH 43001 91%401$93,804$387,400$216 pricier homes ($32K more) · 5 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.