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 Chester, NY 10918

Chester: median income $140,550, home value $459,700, $263/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732 94%221$140,304$448,700$261 Very close on everything we compare
Shirley, MA 01464 93%159$122,365$427,600$294 cheaper homes ($32K less) · smaller
Uxbridge, MA 01569 92%145$124,222$443,400$305 Very close on everything we compare
La Plata, MD 20646 92%243$131,974$450,200$214 larger
Raynham, MA 02767 91%171$124,105$522,400$332 pricier homes ($63K more)
Prince Frederick, MD 20678 90%231$125,732$455,100$200 Very close on everything we compare
Rutland, MA 01543 89%138$145,707$462,800$286 Very close on everything we compare
Oak Ridge, NJ 07438 89%26$123,271$436,900$280 older residents
Bellingham, MA 02019 88%152$125,307$450,700$282 5 min shorter commute
Pepperell, MA 01463 87%164$123,911$482,100$298 7 min shorter commute
Spotsylvania, VA 22553 87%279$135,856$480,200$210 newer homes
Douglas, MA 01516 86%138$153,172$467,000$291 7 min shorter commute
Sussex, NJ 07461 86%19$106,981$370,000$262 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($90K less) · larger
Waldorf, MD 20601 86%233$117,480$402,100$200 cheaper homes ($58K less) · larger
Waldorf, MD 20603 86%237$137,946$453,700$198 larger · newer homes
Westminster, MD 21158 86%189$109,827$384,700$223 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger
Walkersville, MD 21793 86%208$121,971$459,400$226 7 min shorter commute
Stafford, VA 22556 86%263$137,287$486,100$226 pricier homes ($26K more) · larger · younger residents
New Boston, NH 03070 85%173$154,000$480,300$284 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Lunenburg, MA 01462 84%156$112,992$463,800$320 lower income ($28K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Townsend, MA 01469 84%160$103,801$425,800$268 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($34K less) · smaller
East Bridgewater, MA 02333 84%178$133,741$509,200$322 pricier homes ($50K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Norton, MA 02766 84%164$124,535$501,400$312 pricier homes ($42K more) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Sandown, NH 03873 84%192$135,040$483,400$324 smaller · 8 min shorter commute
Damascus, MD 20872 84%212$141,050$504,300$252 pricier homes ($45K more) · more walkable

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.