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 Dorothy, NJ 08317

Dorothy: median income $106,696, home value $326,300, $272/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Franklin, VT 05457 92%396$96,875$279,200$297 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Chaplin, CT 06235 91%218$98,059$256,300$272 cheaper homes ($70K less) · larger
North Franklin, CT 06254 91%208$105,000$326,200$246 larger
Moodus, CT 06469 91%192$104,888$300,000$234 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Esmont, VA 22937 90%232$86,979$249,600$326 cheaper homes ($77K less)
Tunbridge, VT 05077 89%335$92,656$310,900$265 Very close on everything we compare
Saint Charles, IA 50240 89%1,007$107,563$305,800$288 larger · more homeowners
Deer Park, WI 54007 89%978$85,398$309,400— Very close on everything we compare
Colman, SD 57017 89%1,173$96,447$283,500$220 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Bozrah, CT 06334 88%204$107,969$310,400$236 larger · more homeowners
Voluntown, CT 06384 88%217$106,518$354,900$311 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger
Sullivan, WI 53178 88%757$99,875$371,500$239 pricier homes ($45K more) · larger · older residents
Barneveld, WI 53507 88%821$113,261$347,400$224 larger
Taylors Falls, MN 55084 88%1,001$94,297$318,500$276 larger · more homeowners
Welch, MN 55089 88%984$108,750$384,800$238 pricier homes ($59K more) · more homeowners
Bradley, CA 93426 88%2,510$102,500$458,400$333 pricier homes ($132K more) · newer homes
Bradford, RI 02808 87%214$106,681$388,300$328 pricier homes ($62K more) · larger · younger residents
Antrim, NH 03440 87%294$88,889$300,000$305 cheaper homes ($26K less) · larger
Sharon, VT 05065 87%327$86,042$341,200$252 Very close on everything we compare
Wilmington, NY 12997 87%347$82,344$322,600$331 Very close on everything we compare
Mazeppa, MN 55956 87%968$98,558$341,600$188 larger
Hinckley, IL 60520 87%742$98,958$320,500$190 larger · younger residents
Hayden, CO 81639 87%1,710$110,404$443,600$354 pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
Barnstead, NH 03218 86%328$112,500$346,900$335 more homeowners
Warner, NH 03278 86%311$94,783$356,900$257 pricier homes ($31K more) · larger

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.