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 Williamstown, NJ 08094

Williamstown: median income $96,699, home value $276,100, $216/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Streamwood, IL 60107 96%708$101,100$271,200$234 Very close on everything we compare
Mchenry, IL 60051 95%715$100,762$278,400$205 smaller
Lockport, IL 60441 94%698$103,374$297,300$215 Very close on everything we compare
Brunswick, OH 44212 93%377$91,441$264,000$202 Very close on everything we compare
Oak Forest, IL 60452 93%683$93,076$256,000$203 smaller
Mchenry, IL 60050 92%718$88,812$263,700$196 Very close on everything we compare
Antioch, IL 60002 91%711$104,981$301,900$184 pricier homes ($26K more) · smaller
Valrico, FL 33594 90%910$96,628$346,900$206 pricier homes ($71K more) · newer homes
Crown Point, IN 46307 90%661$107,800$324,100$182 pricier homes ($48K more) · larger
New Baltimore, MI 48047 90%456$94,890$321,700$185 pricier homes ($46K more)
Fenton, MI 48430 90%503$100,193$326,400$210 pricier homes ($50K more)
Holly, MI 48442 90%498$86,575$265,800$179 smaller
Wauconda, IL 60084 90%709$110,090$303,200$209 pricier homes ($27K more) · smaller
Joppa, MD 21085 89%76$113,714$348,600$210 pricier homes ($73K more) · smaller
Buffalo, MN 55313 89%1,033$92,455$345,300$185 pricier homes ($69K more) · smaller
Arnold, MO 63010 89%831$79,784$224,300$184 cheaper homes ($52K less)
Rio Rancho, NM 87124 89%1,756$86,555$298,000$217 5 min shorter commute
East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 88%95$90,522$275,600$189 5 min longer commute
Cedar Lake, IN 46303 88%667$84,211$293,500$197 smaller · newer homes
Chesterton, IN 46304 88%647$91,326$293,100$172 6 min shorter commute
White Lake, MI 48386 88%488$89,702$321,100$211 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller
Crystal Lake, IL 60014 88%719$109,016$323,800$193 pricier homes ($48K more)
West Chicago, IL 60185 88%708$107,194$344,300$228 pricier homes ($68K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Dillsburg, PA 17019 87%113$94,423$299,300$196 smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Dallas, PA 18612 87%128$93,750$259,300$178 smaller

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.