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 Cranbury, NJ 08512

Cranbury: median income $118,587, home value $659,400, $339/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Newmarket, NH 03857 83%265$100,845$455,000$322 cheaper homes ($204K less) · younger residents
Nanuet, NY 10954 83%61$116,332$533,000$383 cheaper homes ($126K less) · larger
Glen Mills, PA 19342 82%60$132,688$594,000$276 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger · more homeowners
Annapolis, MD 21403 82%141$123,329$582,500$366 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger · more walkable
Doylestown, PA 18901 81%34$118,256$576,800$306 cheaper homes ($83K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
Valencia, CA 91355 81%2,428$115,640$806,200$472 pricier homes ($147K more) · larger · younger residents
Annapolis, MD 21401 80%142$123,381$601,400$331 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger · more walkable
Plainville, MA 02762 79%203$104,106$476,000$337 cheaper homes ($183K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Exeter, NH 03833 79%261$119,393$480,500$354 cheaper homes ($179K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Norwalk, CT 06850 79%80$123,633$581,200$390 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger · younger residents
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33326 79%1,037$117,373$573,800$350 cheaper homes ($86K less) · larger · younger residents
Foxboro, MA 02035 78%209$115,833$606,300$366 cheaper homes ($53K less) · younger residents · more homeowners
Norwalk, CT 06851 78%81$111,341$587,400$407 cheaper homes ($72K less) · larger · younger residents
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 78%195$101,901$457,600$362 cheaper homes ($202K less) · larger
Willowbrook, IL 60527 78%706$106,543$501,700$269 cheaper homes ($158K less) · larger · more homeowners
Westborough, MA 01581 77%202$141,944$685,300$394 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
Amesbury, MA 01913 77%255$103,554$519,300$385 cheaper homes ($140K less) · younger residents · more walkable
Salisbury, MA 01952 77%258$93,361$478,700$408 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($181K less) · more homeowners
Mansfield, MA 02048 77%208$125,273$603,500$353 cheaper homes ($56K less) · larger · younger residents
Santa Rosa, CA 95405 77%2,544$118,299$788,000$455 pricier homes ($129K more) · larger · more single-family homes
South Grafton, MA 01560 76%195$107,031$484,800$284 cheaper homes ($175K less) · smaller · younger residents
Ashland, MA 01721 76%208$127,539$611,700$353 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Nashua, NH 03062 76%229$107,540$436,600$306 cheaper homes ($223K less) · larger · younger residents
Fishkill, NY 12524 76%91$99,034$398,300$308 cheaper homes ($261K less)
Media, PA 19063 76%54$127,368$548,900$303 cheaper homes ($111K less) · larger · more homeowners

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.