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 Hopewell Junction, NY 12533

Hopewell Junction: median income $141,585, home value $478,600, $266/sq ft, 36-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mount Airy, MD 21771 95%232$157,302$556,200$241 pricier homes ($78K more)
Sykesville, MD 21784 95%221$139,395$491,800$256 Very close on everything we compare
Rutland, MA 01543 92%110$145,707$462,800$286 smaller
Middletown, MD 21769 92%246$151,563$507,000$225 pricier homes ($28K more) · smaller
Pepperell, MA 01463 91%136$123,911$482,100$298 smaller
Douglas, MA 01516 90%111$153,172$467,000$291 smaller
Monroe, CT 06468 90%33$157,250$503,200$275 Very close on everything we compare
Newtown, CT 06470 90%27$153,238$577,800$289 pricier homes ($99K more) · smaller
Fredericksburg, VA 22405 90%295$128,259$433,000$212 cheaper homes ($46K less)
Homer Glen, IL 60491 90%731$138,571$424,700$212 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Schwenksville, PA 19473 89%126$138,819$476,300$248 smaller
Frankfort, IL 60423 89%725$136,730$398,200$215 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Lemont, IL 60439 89%732$121,724$480,800$264 Very close on everything we compare
Hanson, MA 02341 88%155$132,250$536,100$337 pricier homes ($58K more) · smaller
Pembroke, MA 02359 88%158$146,285$586,500$392 pricier homes ($108K more)
Norton, MA 02766 88%137$124,535$501,400$312 Very close on everything we compare
Londonderry, NH 03053 88%153$134,038$507,600$308 pricier homes ($29K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Tolland, CT 06084 88%76$133,611$365,200$241 cheaper homes ($113K less) · smaller
Oxford, CT 06478 88%36$128,953$472,400$285 smaller · 6 min shorter commute
Milford, NJ 08848 88%95$138,614$440,200$270 cheaper homes ($38K less) · smaller
La Plata, MD 20646 88%269$131,974$450,200$214 cheaper homes ($28K less)
Chesapeake Beach, MD 20732 88%247$140,304$448,700$261 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 88%246$139,403$461,300$225 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Charlton, MA 01507 87%102$117,587$427,500$272 cheaper homes ($51K less) · smaller
Upton, MA 01568 87%120$160,417$574,700$316 pricier homes ($96K more) · smaller

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.