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 Bloomsbury, NJ 08804

Bloomsbury: median income $107,333, home value $462,000, $271/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Salisbury Mills, NY 12577 92%75$124,028$469,800$249 smaller
Barre, MA 01005 91%197$111,148$392,600$247 cheaper homes ($69K less) · larger
Salt Point, NY 12578 91%105$108,194$372,800$268 cheaper homes ($89K less) · smaller
White Hall, MD 21161 91%103$108,094$472,600$287 larger · more homeowners
Twain Harte, CA 95383 90%2,391$86,970$461,100$265 Very close on everything we compare
Shady Side, MD 20764 89%146$118,857$432,700$298 cheaper homes ($29K less) · older residents
Boyce, VA 22620 89%189$99,896$539,300$224 pricier homes ($77K more) · older residents
Townsend, MA 01469 88%224$103,801$425,800$268 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · younger residents
Alton, NH 03809 88%278$106,397$387,500$270 cheaper homes ($75K less)
Gardiner, NY 12525 88%85$110,268$446,500$336 more renters
Catlett, VA 20119 88%194$115,757$560,700$260 pricier homes ($99K more) · newer homes
Temple, NH 03084 87%225$94,107$401,000$293 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller
Bradford, NH 03221 87%242$109,803$325,400$337 cheaper homes ($137K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Northwood, NH 03261 87%267$129,375$363,000$308 cheaper homes ($99K less)
Freeland, MD 21053 87%108$89,497$408,300$238 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Lagrangeville, NY 12540 86%99$111,320$483,100$251 larger · younger residents
Patterson, NY 12563 86%98$98,415$412,300$264 cheaper homes ($50K less) · larger · younger residents
Pawling, NY 12564 86%101$111,324$446,800$266 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Bluemont, VA 20135 86%181$114,219$573,500$347 pricier homes ($112K more) · more homeowners
Oakham, MA 01068 85%197$102,000$420,100$265 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · more homeowners
Lunenburg, MA 01462 85%220$112,992$463,800$320 larger
West Townsend, MA 01474 85%222$136,371$460,200$277 higher income ($29K more) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Harrisville, RI 02830 85%201$121,111$408,700$259 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Greenfield, NH 03047 85%230$103,603$350,300$298 cheaper homes ($112K less) · smaller
Jarrettsville, MD 21084 85%101$121,509$448,400$234 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.