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.

Reset

Towns most like Newton, NJ 07860

Newton: median income $110,045, home value $367,100, $283/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Milford, CT 06776 94%81$104,112$387,000$275 younger residents
Somerset, MA 02726 91%195$111,046$419,000$345 pricier homes ($52K more) · smaller
Tiverton, RI 02878 91%192$106,036$411,900$306 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
East Hampton, CT 06424 91%124$123,680$347,800$242 smaller
Wolcott, CT 06716 91%101$111,225$325,300$236 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller
Danbury, CT 06811 91%74$104,640$421,200$286 pricier homes ($54K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Pottstown, PA 19465 91%76$107,825$404,500$233 pricier homes ($37K more)
Westminster, MD 21157 91%155$104,966$424,100$228 pricier homes ($57K more)
Southwick, MA 01077 90%125$120,462$397,500$282 pricier homes ($30K more) · smaller
Seekonk, MA 02771 90%188$120,613$482,800$314 pricier homes ($116K more) · smaller
Brewster, NY 10509 90%67$116,831$458,300$291 pricier homes ($91K more)
Lunenburg, MA 01462 89%190$112,992$463,800$320 pricier homes ($97K more) · smaller
Coventry, RI 02816 89%173$101,431$350,800$263 6 min shorter commute
Hudson, NH 03051 89%210$124,213$438,900$298 pricier homes ($72K more) · newer homes
Nazareth, PA 18064 89%35$103,393$387,100$214 Very close on everything we compare
Chardon, OH 44024 89%334$107,000$324,800$200 cheaper homes ($42K less)
Oxford, MA 01540 88%168$110,579$376,100$302 smaller
Shelton, CT 06484 88%89$108,185$452,600$293 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Evans City, PA 16033 88%275$108,071$333,100$200 cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
Coopersburg, PA 18036 88%49$129,123$416,200$229 pricier homes ($49K more) · smaller
Merritt Island, FL 32952 88%944$102,726$425,700$253 pricier homes ($59K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Romeo, MI 48065 88%440$106,053$373,100$204 smaller
Belchertown, MA 01007 87%149$108,125$371,400$258 smaller · newer homes
Charlton, MA 01507 87%164$117,587$427,500$272 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · newer homes
Middleboro, MA 02346 87%210$97,056$468,700$299 pricier homes ($102K more)

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.