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 Putnam Valley, NY 10579

Putnam Valley: median income $132,500, home value $548,400, $327/sq ft, 46-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
New Fairfield, CT 06812 96%20$137,647$484,800$338 cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Hewitt, NJ 07421 89%30$129,800$420,000$333 cheaper homes ($128K less)
Deale, MD 20751 87%229$123,951$490,300$293 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller
Fallston, MD 21047 84%186$157,500$552,500$218 higher income ($25K more) · larger · newer homes
Jarrettsville, MD 21084 84%183$121,509$448,400$234 cheaper homes ($100K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 82%42$123,271$436,900$280 cheaper homes ($112K less) · more apartments and townhomes · newer homes
Great Meadows, NJ 07838 82%67$121,599$440,100$265 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller · newer homes
Landing, NJ 07850 82%53$106,806$417,900$371 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($131K less)
Hampton, NJ 08827 81%75$135,625$443,400$270 cheaper homes ($105K less) · smaller · 8 min shorter commute
White Hall, MD 21161 81%185$108,094$472,600$287 cheaper homes ($76K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Andover, NJ 07821 80%55$141,860$431,500$292 cheaper homes ($117K less) · younger residents · 10 min shorter commute
Blairstown, NJ 07825 80%64$123,785$423,400$258 cheaper homes ($125K less) · 9 min shorter commute
New Windsor, MD 21776 80%214$133,409$461,600$214 cheaper homes ($87K less) · newer homes
Geneva, FL 32732 80%963$119,205$487,600$280 cheaper homes ($61K less) · smaller · newer homes
Rochester, MA 02770 79%157$120,320$601,200$348 pricier homes ($53K more) · smaller · 9 min shorter commute
Milford, NJ 08848 79%85$138,614$440,200$270 cheaper homes ($108K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Catlett, VA 20119 79%275$115,757$560,700$260 smaller · newer homes
Bluemont, VA 20135 79%264$114,219$573,500$347 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Princeton, MA 01541 77%126$158,750$520,500$284 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($28K less) · smaller
Highland Lakes, NJ 07422 77%34$108,722$295,000$356 cheaper homes ($253K less) · smaller
Stockholm, NJ 07460 77%40$145,081$384,200$323 cheaper homes ($164K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
Finksburg, MD 21048 77%207$131,921$459,000$201 cheaper homes ($89K less) · 7 min shorter commute · newer homes
Lake Arrowhead, CA 92352 77%2,391$105,753$694,600$340 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($146K more) · older residents
Goshen, CT 06756 76%45$160,815$478,200$324 higher income ($28K more) · cheaper homes ($70K less) · smaller
Beaverdam, VA 23015 75%313$113,771$442,900$257 cheaper homes ($106K less) · smaller · 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.