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 Skillman, NJ 08558

Skillman: median income $236,016, home value $910,200, $383/sq ft, 40-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bolton, MA 01740 83%212$205,449$796,000$309 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($114K less) · younger residents
Hopkinton, MA 01748 83%206$222,801$802,700$357 cheaper homes ($108K less) · larger · younger residents
Southborough, MA 01772 83%209$201,568$841,700$354 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($69K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Armonk, NY 10504 83%72$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 pricier homes ($333K more) · older homes
Clifton, VA 20124 83%182$221,060$884,800$300 cheaper homes ($25K less) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Clarksville, MD 21029 83%146$243,542$912,100$285 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Sudbury, MA 01776 79%217$236,509$988,900$409 pricier homes ($79K more) · larger · younger residents
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 78%180$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 pricier homes ($111K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Carlisle, MA 01741 77%226$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 pricier homes ($194K more) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33332 77%1,045$172,730$909,000$395 lower income ($63K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Groton, MA 01450 76%222$193,292$743,400$325 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($167K less) · younger residents
Stow, MA 01775 76%216$185,809$729,600$339 lower income ($50K less) · cheaper homes ($181K less) · older homes
Wilton, CT 06897 76%85$242,199$928,800$449 larger · older homes
Glenwood, MD 21738 76%146$250,000+*$914,300$268 smaller · younger residents · 6 min shorter commute
Lake Forest, IL 60045 76%693$233,125$923,500$404 larger · 9 min shorter commute · older homes
Pound Ridge, NY 10576 75%80$250,000+*$1,059,800$483 pricier homes ($150K more) · smaller · older homes
Highland, MD 20777 75%148$226,146$861,900$282 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Harvard, MA 01451 74%216$214,792$856,200$349 cheaper homes ($54K less) · younger residents · 9 min shorter commute
Norfolk, MA 02056 74%211$200,720$725,200$344 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($185K less) · larger
Easton, CT 06612 74%93$222,604$783,100$323 cheaper homes ($127K less) · 7 min shorter commute · older homes
South Salem, NY 10590 74%84$211,734$795,600$409 cheaper homes ($115K less) · 7 min shorter commute · older homes
Furlong, PA 18925 74%21$207,609$730,000$248 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($180K less) · younger residents
Great Falls, VA 22066 74%170$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($400K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Hinsdale, IL 60521 74%695$249,200$1,032,800$405 pricier homes ($123K more) · larger · younger residents
Sherborn, MA 01770 73%213$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or 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.