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 South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

South Bound Brook: median income $112,961, home value $359,000, $443/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Garnerville, NY 10923 79%53$100,469$471,400$332 pricier homes ($112K more) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Upper Lake, CA 95485 78%2,535$104,667$370,100$300 smaller · older residents · more homeowners
Bellport, NY 11713 77%84$108,173$482,800$421 pricier homes ($124K more) · larger
Pacific, WA 98047 77%2,381$115,188$482,800$363 pricier homes ($124K more) · 7 min longer commute · newer homes
Avon, MA 02322 76%211$130,625$509,600$335 pricier homes ($151K more) · more homeowners · older homes
Grand Terrace, CA 92313 75%2,371$83,628$517,600$344 lower income ($29K less) · pricier homes ($159K more) · larger
Hubbard, OR 97032 75%2,429$101,250$456,600$291 pricier homes ($98K more) · more homeowners · newer homes
Norwalk, CT 06855 74%70$106,439$511,200$459 pricier homes ($152K more) · larger · more apartments and townhomes
Highland Falls, NY 10928 74%63$102,347$329,200$294 cheaper homes ($30K less) · older residents · more walkable
Sumner, WA 98390 73%2,381$97,795$510,000$341 pricier homes ($151K more) · larger · newer homes
Plaistow, NH 03865 72%237$108,317$404,500$312 pricier homes ($46K more) · larger · more homeowners
Spring Valley, CA 91978 72%2,389$113,170$637,200$504 pricier homes ($278K more) · larger · older residents
Winters, CA 95694 72%2,501$109,696$658,400$360 pricier homes ($299K more) · larger · newer homes
Vancouver, WA 98663 72%2,416$86,018$450,300$299 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($91K more) · larger
Whitinsville, MA 01588 71%184$92,486$427,100$310 pricier homes ($68K more) · larger · older residents
Middletown, NY 10941 71%65$99,238$348,200$255 larger · newer homes
Hyde Park, NY 12538 71%91$86,230$322,100$285 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Mentone, CA 92359 71%2,359$77,846$431,200$332 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($72K more) · larger
Esparto, CA 95627 71%2,499$101,994$457,700$316 pricier homes ($99K more) · more homeowners · newer homes
Fort Montgomery, NY 10922 70%61$123,406$403,900$255 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Amityville, NY 11701 70%59$117,033$499,500$442 pricier homes ($141K more) · larger · older residents
Sacramento, CA 95827 70%2,467$85,841$437,300$332 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($78K more) · larger
Ayer, MA 01432 69%206$101,966$463,800$344 pricier homes ($105K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Millbury, MA 01527 69%183$118,790$450,100$285 pricier homes ($91K more) · larger · older residents
Rochester, NH 03839 69%261$88,346$335,600$288 newer homes

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.