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 Lafayette, NJ 07848

Lafayette: median income $128,317, home value $436,800, $288/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sterling, MA 01564 92%177$129,063$498,800$327 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger
Hampstead, NH 03841 92%219$104,044$510,100$307 pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Staatsburg, NY 12580 92%67$134,583$403,800$287 cheaper homes ($33K less)
Sturbridge, MA 01566 91%153$137,730$415,900$268 larger
Queenstown, MD 21658 91%163$128,274$483,200$300 pricier homes ($46K more) · more single-family homes
Merrimac, MA 01860 90%225$123,054$553,400$329 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
New Hartford, CT 06057 90%102$117,906$380,200$284 cheaper homes ($57K less)
Columbia, CT 06237 90%131$127,000$361,500$243 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Woodbury, CT 06798 89%84$131,480$469,900$250 pricier homes ($33K more) · larger
Southwick, MA 01077 88%120$120,462$397,500$282 cheaper homes ($39K less) · larger · younger residents
Atkinson, NH 03811 88%218$146,380$555,200$297 pricier homes ($118K more) · larger
Newton, NH 03858 88%225$138,487$459,500$290 Very close on everything we compare
Strafford, NH 03884 88%235$122,105$427,900$308 younger residents
Northbridge, MA 01534 87%173$141,250$481,200$265 pricier homes ($44K more) · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Chepachet, RI 02814 87%166$110,764$390,500$298 cheaper homes ($46K less) · larger
Loudon, NH 03307 87%226$107,226$365,400$268 cheaper homes ($71K less)
Kingston, NH 03848 87%225$105,330$492,900$317 pricier homes ($56K more) · more renters
Woodstock, CT 06281 87%152$125,778$428,800$261 larger · younger residents
Beacon Falls, CT 06403 87%88$101,516$350,300$279 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($87K less)
Pawling, NY 12564 87%67$111,324$446,800$266 larger
Lodi, WI 53555 87%775$119,305$392,200$209 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Palos Park, IL 60464 87%683$126,087$460,000$235 larger
Epping, NH 03042 86%230$104,220$436,900$319 larger · younger residents
Fremont, NH 03044 86%226$120,781$416,900$325 younger residents
Alton, NH 03809 86%242$106,397$387,500$270 cheaper homes ($49K 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.