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 Hackettstown, NJ 07840

Hackettstown: median income $105,866, home value $396,100, $302/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Nashua, NH 03062 94%215$107,540$436,600$306 pricier homes ($41K more) · 6 min shorter commute
North Attleboro, MA 02760 92%197$112,027$478,700$330 pricier homes ($83K more)
Bethel, CT 06801 92%83$116,541$434,600$296 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Derry, NH 03038 91%230$108,322$430,500$315 pricier homes ($34K more)
Hudson, MA 01749 90%200$103,400$496,800$357 pricier homes ($101K more) · smaller · older homes
Coram, NY 11727 90%96$103,287$443,200$341 pricier homes ($47K more)
Shelton, CT 06484 89%94$108,185$452,600$293 pricier homes ($57K more)
Nanuet, NY 10954 89%46$116,332$533,000$383 pricier homes ($137K more)
Fishkill, NY 12524 89%68$99,034$398,300$308 smaller
Highland, NY 12528 89%74$92,462$366,400$270 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller
New Windsor, NY 12553 89%59$92,757$362,300$272 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Bridgewater, MA 02324 88%215$112,726$533,600$318 pricier homes ($138K more)
Ballston Spa, NY 12020 88%157$107,112$329,400$271 cheaper homes ($67K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 88%71$102,285$400,300$280 Very close on everything we compare
Langhorne, PA 19047 88%47$109,530$467,000$285 pricier homes ($71K more) · 6 min shorter commute · more walkable
Bel Air, MD 21014 88%121$116,970$429,900$207 pricier homes ($34K more)
Saint Charles, IL 60174 88%702$104,534$362,200$254 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Schaumburg, IL 60193 88%691$95,972$329,900$259 cheaper homes ($66K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Willowbrook, IL 60527 88%682$106,543$501,700$269 pricier homes ($106K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Mansfield, MA 02048 87%204$125,273$603,500$353 pricier homes ($207K more)
Plainville, MA 02762 87%199$104,106$476,000$337 pricier homes ($80K more) · smaller
Danbury, CT 06811 87%81$104,640$421,200$286 pricier homes ($25K more)
Clifton Park, NY 12065 87%148$113,873$379,900$262 8 min shorter commute
Sellersville, PA 18960 87%42$109,028$408,300$234 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Norristown, PA 19403 87%56$104,071$375,100$238 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.