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 Ballston Lake, NY 12019

Ballston Lake: median income $112,420, home value $400,400, $271/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Suffield, CT 06078 97%89$116,054$412,400$255 Very close on everything we compare
Belchertown, MA 01007 94%86$108,125$371,400$258 cheaper homes ($29K less)
Pottstown, PA 19465 94%210$107,825$404,500$233 Very close on everything we compare
Hartland, WI 53029 94%731$108,152$478,700$250 pricier homes ($78K more)
Oconomowoc, WI 53066 94%738$113,114$427,900$284 pricier homes ($28K more) · larger
Mound, MN 55364 94%993$108,725$459,400$260 pricier homes ($59K more)
Colchester, CT 06415 93%121$123,256$366,300$265 cheaper homes ($34K less) · 5 min longer commute
Brighton, MI 48116 93%504$106,763$385,900$216 larger
Saline, MI 48176 93%508$114,206$408,300$229 larger
Muskego, WI 53150 93%721$109,276$416,400$250 larger
Goffstown, NH 03045 92%116$119,205$384,600$294 Very close on everything we compare
Topsham, ME 04086 92%210$91,028$360,800$296 cheaper homes ($40K less) · smaller
Canton, CT 06019 92%89$117,418$390,400$231 smaller
Granby, CT 06035 92%85$107,957$350,500$221 cheaper homes ($50K less) · smaller
Berlin, CT 06037 92%106$116,042$377,100$236 Very close on everything we compare
Southington, CT 06489 92%104$126,465$379,600$269 larger
Yorktown, VA 23692 92%420$109,066$417,200$222 Very close on everything we compare
Longwood, FL 32779 92%1,068$121,826$480,200$249 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger
Waukesha, WI 53189 92%730$117,008$406,200$243 larger
Wilbraham, MA 01095 91%90$122,330$415,000$267 older homes
Windham, ME 04062 91%183$107,934$388,900$317 Very close on everything we compare
Milford, CT 06461 91%123$133,221$424,700$299 Very close on everything we compare
Plantsville, CT 06479 91%105$114,346$359,000$261 cheaper homes ($41K less) · smaller
Merritt Island, FL 32952 91%1,081$102,726$425,700$253 pricier homes ($25K more)
Cincinnati, OH 45244 91%606$109,287$382,100$201 larger · younger 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.