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 Helmetta, NJ 08828

Helmetta: median income $98,952, home value $355,000, $311/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Yaphank, NY 11980 89%85$102,600$450,100$407 pricier homes ($95K more) · larger
South Grafton, MA 01560 88%188$107,031$484,800$284 pricier homes ($130K more) · larger
Ayer, MA 01432 84%211$101,966$463,800$344 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger
Jeffersonville, VT 05464 84%305$85,694$342,900$266 more single-family homes
Dublin, PA 18917 84%41$84,250$395,800$235 pricier homes ($41K more)
Manville, RI 02838 83%189$97,273$372,300$219 larger · 7 min shorter commute
Rochester, NH 03839 83%266$88,346$335,600$288 larger · 8 min shorter commute
Harriman, NY 10926 83%66$94,279$336,600$275 more walkable
Newmarket, NH 03857 81%258$100,845$455,000$322 pricier homes ($100K more) · larger
Mountville, PA 17554 81%108$98,431$301,500$183 cheaper homes ($54K less) · larger
Waterbury, VT 05676 80%287$92,773$380,800$269 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · 6 min shorter commute
North Oxford, MA 01537 79%180$102,956$353,500$232 8 min shorter commute · more homeowners
Middle Island, NY 11953 79%84$86,206$397,800$304 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · older residents
Willow Street, PA 17584 79%102$108,723$309,800$228 cheaper homes ($45K less) · larger
Plainville, MA 02762 78%196$104,106$476,000$337 pricier homes ($121K more) · larger
Middletown, NY 10941 78%77$99,238$348,200$255 larger
Thorndale, PA 19372 78%75$115,438$337,000$248 7 min shorter commute · more renters
Newport News, VA 23603 78%249$88,246$293,300$189 cheaper homes ($62K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Milford, NH 03055 77%221$97,768$398,800$268 pricier homes ($44K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Plaistow, NH 03865 77%242$108,317$404,500$312 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger · more homeowners
Garnerville, NY 10923 77%61$100,469$471,400$332 pricier homes ($116K more) · larger · more single-family homes
Fishkill, NY 12524 77%85$99,034$398,300$308 pricier homes ($43K more) · larger · older residents
Zelienople, PA 16063 77%300$95,893$339,000$246 larger · more single-family homes
Prather, CA 93651 77%2,418$107,587$520,600$272 pricier homes ($166K more) · smaller · younger residents
Willington, CT 06279 76%154$91,114$305,800$233 cheaper homes ($49K less) · larger · 6 min shorter commute

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.