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 Somerset, NJ 08873

Somerset: median income $124,972, home value $465,800, $333/sq ft, 34-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Woodbridge, VA 22192 91%196$127,177$486,400$257 Very close on everything we compare
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33326 90%1,049$117,373$573,800$350 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Mansfield, MA 02048 89%200$125,273$603,500$353 pricier homes ($138K more) · smaller
Nashua, NH 03062 88%219$107,540$436,600$306 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Palatine, IL 60067 88%711$125,446$426,600$257 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Nanuet, NY 10954 87%49$116,332$533,000$383 pricier homes ($67K more) · smaller
Laurel, MD 20723 87%157$138,113$525,400$255 pricier homes ($60K more) · smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Annapolis, MD 21403 87%150$123,329$582,500$366 pricier homes ($117K more) · smaller · more walkable
Ashland, MA 01721 86%199$127,539$611,700$353 pricier homes ($146K more) · smaller
North Attleboro, MA 02760 86%194$112,027$478,700$330 smaller
Franklin, MA 02038 85%195$145,773$611,700$343 pricier homes ($146K more) · smaller
Clifton Park, NY 12065 85%166$113,873$379,900$262 cheaper homes ($86K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Lansdale, PA 19446 85%46$106,310$441,100$257 7 min shorter commute
Phoenixville, PA 19460 85%60$124,050$455,900$251 7 min shorter commute
Arlington Heights, IL 60004 85%708$128,979$424,200$280 cheaper homes ($42K less) · 5 min shorter commute
North Andover, MA 01845 84%231$140,670$732,900$367 pricier homes ($267K more) · smaller
North Wales, PA 19454 84%44$118,177$457,900$265 smaller · older residents
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774 84%167$128,259$455,300$204 Very close on everything we compare
Crofton, MD 21114 84%155$141,344$490,400$260 smaller · more homeowners
Shrewsbury, MA 01545 83%190$139,302$592,300$353 pricier homes ($127K more) · more single-family homes
Derry, NH 03038 83%233$108,322$430,500$315 cheaper homes ($35K less) · smaller
Suffern, NY 10901 83%47$108,041$542,000$370 pricier homes ($76K more) · smaller · older homes
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 83%182$101,901$457,600$362 7 min shorter commute
Media, PA 19063 83%62$127,368$548,900$303 pricier homes ($83K more) · 5 min shorter commute · older homes
Morrisville, PA 19067 83%27$133,630$507,900$287 pricier homes ($42K more) · 7 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.