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 Holmes, NY 12531

Holmes: median income $129,028, home value $475,400, $312/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Queenstown, MD 21658 94%218$128,274$483,200$300 larger
Kintnersville, PA 18930 93%106$127,072$524,000$253 pricier homes ($49K more)
Cornwall Bridge, CT 06754 92%25$121,591$462,300$353 5 min shorter commute
Bluemont, VA 20135 92%278$114,219$573,500$347 pricier homes ($98K more) · larger
Shady Side, MD 20764 92%239$118,857$432,700$298 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Pine, CO 80470 92%1,663$135,682$681,300$304 pricier homes ($206K more) · larger
Lyndeborough, NH 03082 91%135$120,313$397,700$220 cheaper homes ($78K less) · smaller
Cool, CA 95614 91%2,472$133,426$584,600$262 pricier homes ($109K more) · larger
Oakham, MA 01068 90%100$102,000$420,100$265 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($55K less)
Plympton, MA 02367 90%150$126,736$517,800$380 pricier homes ($42K more) · younger residents
Dunbarton, NH 03046 89%151$124,348$484,100$272 newer homes
White Hall, MD 21161 89%200$108,094$472,600$287 larger · younger residents
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837 88%179$119,712$409,600$286 cheaper homes ($66K less) · smaller
Catlett, VA 20119 88%290$115,757$560,700$260 pricier homes ($85K more)
Marine On Saint Croix, MN 55047 88%993$107,361$497,900$331 older residents
Rochester, MA 02770 87%146$120,320$601,200$348 pricier homes ($126K more) · larger · younger residents
Great Meadows, NJ 07838 87%81$121,599$440,100$265 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · younger residents
Asbury, NJ 08802 87%92$135,689$461,700$261 larger · 6 min shorter commute
Houlton, WI 54082 87%988$131,146$476,200$264 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Ashby, MA 01431 86%123$115,598$390,500$210 cheaper homes ($85K less)
Hubbardston, MA 01452 86%108$123,500$371,600$311 cheaper homes ($104K less) · larger · younger residents
Candia, NH 03034 86%160$131,350$412,700$294 cheaper homes ($63K less) · larger
Canterbury, NH 03224 86%166$138,125$438,500$245 cheaper homes ($37K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Newbury, NH 03255 86%150$117,045$465,000$416 5 min shorter commute
Strafford, NH 03884 86%174$122,105$427,900$308 cheaper homes ($48K less) · 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.