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 Sparta, NJ 07871

Sparta: median income $167,654, home value $479,700, $310/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Sandy Hook, CT 06482 94%77$159,828$499,200$285 smaller
Monroe, CT 06468 93%77$157,250$503,200$275 Very close on everything we compare
Newtown, CT 06470 93%73$153,238$577,800$289 pricier homes ($98K more)
Trumbull, CT 06611 91%76$163,073$547,300$317 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger
Amherst, NH 03031 90%201$153,125$537,300$289 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
New City, NY 10956 90%35$177,952$662,400$380 pricier homes ($183K more)
Holliston, MA 01746 89%184$159,817$650,300$360 pricier homes ($171K more)
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567 88%43$144,194$566,700$352 pricier homes ($87K more)
Silver Spring, MD 20905 88%182$159,740$656,700$251 pricier homes ($177K more)
Littleton, MA 01460 87%193$149,722$658,300$374 pricier homes ($179K more) · smaller
Upton, MA 01568 87%176$160,417$574,700$316 pricier homes ($95K more) · smaller
Georgetown, MA 01833 87%222$153,750$653,500$360 pricier homes ($174K more) · smaller
Medway, MA 02053 87%184$173,750$617,300$337 pricier homes ($138K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 87%48$173,573$617,900$417 pricier homes ($138K more)
Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 86%57$141,585$478,600$266 lower income ($26K less)
Hoffman Estates, IL 60192 86%698$153,495$419,900$249 cheaper homes ($60K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Northborough, MA 01532 85%178$153,199$620,000$331 pricier homes ($140K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Nesconset, NY 11767 85%79$152,985$637,900$407 pricier homes ($158K more)
Annapolis, MD 21409 85%167$147,151$535,500$286 pricier homes ($56K more) · 8 min shorter commute
Norfolk, MA 02056 84%187$200,720$725,200$344 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($246K more) · smaller
Mahopac, NY 10541 84%52$138,617$508,500$333 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($29K more)
Mount Airy, MD 21771 84%175$157,302$556,200$241 pricier homes ($77K more) · larger · newer homes
Sykesville, MD 21784 84%164$139,395$491,800$256 lower income ($28K less) · larger · newer homes
Lake Zurich, IL 60047 84%698$176,081$541,300$263 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
North Reading, MA 01864 83%212$147,768$710,500$425 pricier homes ($231K 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.