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 Great Meadows, NJ 07838

Great Meadows: median income $121,599, home value $440,100, $265/sq ft, 42-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Campbell Hall, NY 10916 97%54$135,556$492,400$295 pricier homes ($52K more)
Geneva, FL 32732 95%906$119,205$487,600$280 pricier homes ($48K more)
Jarrettsville, MD 21084 93%117$121,509$448,400$234 larger
Beaverdam, VA 23015 93%249$113,771$442,900$257 Very close on everything we compare
Catlett, VA 20119 92%210$115,757$560,700$260 pricier homes ($121K more)
New Windsor, MD 21776 92%147$133,409$461,600$214 larger
Westtown, NY 10998 91%38$129,348$462,000$282 Very close on everything we compare
Poughquag, NY 12570 91%84$128,906$466,200$246 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
White Hall, MD 21161 91%119$108,094$472,600$287 pricier homes ($33K more)
Deerfield, NH 03037 90%247$130,371$424,000$293 7 min shorter commute
Salisbury Mills, NY 12577 90%59$124,028$469,800$249 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller · older homes
Churchton, MD 20733 90%165$126,797$394,000$300 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Rochester, MA 02770 89%221$120,320$601,200$348 pricier homes ($161K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Strafford, NH 03884 89%255$122,105$427,900$308 6 min shorter commute
Lagrangeville, NY 12540 89%84$111,320$483,100$251 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger
Bluemont, VA 20135 89%196$114,219$573,500$347 pricier homes ($133K more)
Brimfield, MA 01010 88%167$111,250$389,100$247 cheaper homes ($51K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Weare, NH 03281 88%226$118,271$396,300$242 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Lyndeborough, NH 03082 87%216$120,313$397,700$220 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Holmes, NY 12531 87%81$129,028$475,400$312 pricier homes ($35K more) · smaller · older residents
Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732 87%173$140,304$448,700$261 larger
Sturbridge, MA 01566 86%172$137,730$415,900$268 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Northwood, NH 03261 86%252$129,375$363,000$308 cheaper homes ($77K less) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Stone Ridge, NY 12484 86%80$119,779$467,200$384 pricier homes ($27K more)
Wingdale, NY 12594 86%91$144,202$385,000$269 cheaper homes ($55K less)

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.