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.

Reset

Towns most like Piscataway, NJ 08854

Piscataway: median income $127,806, home value $449,900, $367/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Suffern, NY 10901 88%43$108,041$542,000$370 pricier homes ($92K more) · smaller
Sterling, VA 20164 88%188$135,660$544,300$320 pricier homes ($94K more)
Virginia Beach, VA 23454 84%271$102,796$416,700$262 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($33K less)
Atlanta, GA 30316 83%719$102,891$443,400$299 smaller · more walkable
Wheaton, IL 60187 83%715$119,769$433,700$321 smaller · more walkable
Phoenixville, PA 19460 82%63$124,050$455,900$251 older residents
Norwalk, CT 06850 81%66$123,633$581,200$390 pricier homes ($131K more) · smaller · older residents
Clifton Park, NY 12065 81%163$113,873$379,900$262 cheaper homes ($70K less) · older residents
Roswell, GA 30076 81%704$118,170$489,700$231 pricier homes ($40K more) · newer homes
Denver, CO 80228 81%1,615$113,977$641,300$291 pricier homes ($191K more) · smaller · older residents
Nashua, NH 03062 80%215$107,540$436,600$306 smaller · older residents
Nashua, NH 03063 80%216$107,630$391,400$291 cheaper homes ($59K less) · smaller · older residents
West Chester, PA 19382 80%73$132,091$568,500$282 pricier homes ($119K more) · older residents
Saint Charles, IL 60174 80%725$104,534$362,200$254 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · older residents
Golden, CO 80401 80%1,616$118,039$804,500$350 pricier homes ($355K more) · older residents
Phoenix, AZ 85024 80%2,108$106,724$471,000$303 smaller · newer homes
Anchorage, AK 99502 80%3,358$116,071$418,300$273 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Norwalk, CT 06851 79%68$111,341$587,400$407 pricier homes ($138K more) · smaller · older residents
Morrisville, PA 19067 79%31$133,630$507,900$287 pricier homes ($58K more) · older residents · more homeowners
Lansdale, PA 19446 79%49$106,310$441,100$257 older residents
Pompano Beach, FL 33071 79%1,043$106,149$576,700$294 pricier homes ($127K more) · more walkable · newer homes
Arlington Heights, IL 60004 79%709$128,979$424,200$280 cheaper homes ($26K less) · older residents · more homeowners
Dallas, TX 75229 79%1,344$121,469$631,700$335 pricier homes ($182K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
North Attleboro, MA 02760 78%190$112,027$478,700$330 pricier homes ($29K more) · smaller · older residents
Derry, NH 03038 78%229$108,322$430,500$315 smaller · older residents

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.