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 Hightstown, NJ 08520

Hightstown: median income $118,010, home value $376,600, $292/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Nashua, NH 03063 92%233$107,630$391,400$291 smaller
Nashua, NH 03062 90%231$107,540$436,600$306 pricier homes ($60K more)
Ballston Spa, NY 12020 90%192$107,112$329,400$271 cheaper homes ($47K less) · newer homes
Lansdale, PA 19446 89%41$106,310$441,100$257 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Schaumburg, IL 60193 89%715$95,972$329,900$259 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Pomona, NY 10970 88%69$120,186$360,800$363 smaller
Clifton Park, NY 12065 88%183$113,873$379,900$262 larger · more single-family homes
Royersford, PA 19468 88%53$108,534$402,800$246 pricier homes ($26K more) · newer homes
Bloomingdale, IL 60108 88%714$103,392$382,000$232 more walkable
Carol Stream, IL 60188 88%717$103,628$337,400$236 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Derry, NH 03038 87%246$108,322$430,500$315 pricier homes ($54K more)
Sellersville, PA 18960 87%42$109,028$408,300$234 pricier homes ($32K more) · smaller
Hatfield, PA 19440 87%41$99,408$438,500$258 pricier homes ($62K more) · smaller
Saint Charles, IL 60174 87%726$104,534$362,200$254 more single-family homes
Schaumburg, IL 60194 87%717$97,994$329,700$251 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Warrenville, IL 60555 87%719$101,859$287,600$238 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller
Haverhill, MA 01835 86%247$113,578$468,800$311 pricier homes ($92K more) · smaller · more walkable
Suffern, NY 10901 86%62$108,041$542,000$370 pricier homes ($165K more)
Warminster, PA 18974 86%30$103,779$434,700$281 pricier homes ($58K more) · more single-family homes
Norristown, PA 19403 86%46$104,071$375,100$238 Very close on everything we compare
Arlington Heights, IL 60005 86%710$99,743$390,000$261 more walkable
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 86%712$94,336$317,900$244 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Milford, NH 03055 85%231$97,768$398,800$268 smaller
Exeter, NH 03833 85%263$119,393$480,500$354 pricier homes ($104K more)
Palatine, IL 60067 85%714$125,446$426,600$257 pricier homes ($50K 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.