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 Germantown, NY 12526

Germantown: median income $97,679, home value $485,000, $361/sq ft, 23-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Hatfield, MA 01038 94%66$106,635$442,500$314 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Eliot, ME 03903 92%171$101,522$498,900$363 larger · newer homes
Sheffield, MA 01257 88%26$102,788$441,000$299 cheaper homes ($44K less) · smaller · 5 min shorter commute
Litchfield, CT 06759 88%42$105,957$448,900$277 cheaper homes ($36K less) · larger · older residents
Valley, NE 68064 88%1,158$100,450$407,700$277 cheaper homes ($77K less) · newer homes
Laporte, CO 80535 87%1,616$110,945$483,300$309 smaller · newer homes
Westminster, MA 01473 86%104$106,331$422,000$302 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
South Dartmouth, MA 02748 86%153$97,361$521,800$377 pricier homes ($37K more) · larger · more walkable
Meredith, NH 03253 86%159$84,719$482,700$354 larger · older residents
Pownal, ME 04069 86%222$104,333$436,800$355 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Idyllwild, CA 92549 86%2,380$73,750$532,300$340 pricier homes ($47K more)
Haydenville, MA 01039 85%62$116,429$423,100$403 cheaper homes ($62K less) · smaller
Wolfeboro, NH 03894 85%169$94,349$548,600$347 pricier homes ($64K more) · larger · older residents
Vergennes, VT 05491 85%142$87,917$337,400$286 cheaper homes ($148K less) · larger · more walkable
Pomfret Center, CT 06259 85%98$108,476$401,700$267 cheaper homes ($83K less) · newer homes
Washington Depot, CT 06794 85%42$96,979$733,100$431 pricier homes ($248K more) · smaller
Frenchtown, NJ 08825 85%126$101,774$451,500$326 cheaper homes ($34K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Paonia, CO 81428 85%1,775$75,799$432,700$279 cheaper homes ($52K less) · newer homes
West Boylston, MA 01583 84%108$106,094$441,500$312 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Greenville, RI 02828 84%120$97,196$440,900$291 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger · more walkable
Nobleboro, ME 04555 84%260$100,417$352,600$348 cheaper homes ($132K less) · smaller · newer homes
Middlefield, CT 06455 84%72$104,180$388,700$274 cheaper homes ($96K less) · more homeowners
Northford, CT 06472 84%75$105,729$405,200$264 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger
Madison Lake, MN 56063 84%1,014$102,391$416,300$297 cheaper homes ($69K less) · newer homes
Idaho Springs, CO 80452 84%1,655$75,565$449,300$344 cheaper homes ($36K less) · 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.