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.

Reset

Towns most like Colden, NY 14033

Colden: median income $87,431, home value $338,500, $263/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Middlefield, CT 06455 92%316$104,180$388,700$274 pricier homes ($50K more) · larger
Friendship, ME 04547 91%479$75,625$275,000$242 cheaper homes ($64K less)
Fort Defiance, VA 24437 91%307$87,200$310,100$278 cheaper homes ($28K less) · newer homes
Ceresco, MI 49033 91%329$94,750$326,600$204 Very close on everything we compare
Sawyer, MI 49125 91%407$79,766$342,300$378 older residents
Salisbury, VT 05769 90%294$99,792$316,000$230 6 min shorter commute
Alden, MI 49612 90%360$85,156$271,000$317 cheaper homes ($68K less)
Cornish, NH 03745 89%326$91,821$296,000$292 cheaper homes ($43K less) · newer homes
Tenants Harbor, ME 04860 89%484$86,833$271,400$352 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Hartland, VT 05048 89%323$99,583$338,800$234 larger
Morris, CT 06763 89%290$109,853$394,200$257 pricier homes ($56K more)
Clarklake, MI 49234 89%291$110,313$295,000$355 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Good Thunder, MN 56037 89%777$78,750$258,400$218 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Underwood, MN 56586 89%880$79,583$309,800$268 cheaper homes ($29K less) · newer homes
Hampden, MA 01036 88%322$104,536$358,200$279 larger
Westmoreland, NH 03467 88%318$104,444$351,800$240 Very close on everything we compare
Bridport, VT 05734 88%283$81,250$358,600$329 newer homes
Hickory, PA 15340 88%183$82,431$291,000$211 cheaper homes ($48K less) · younger residents
Kempton, PA 19529 88%203$94,286$385,900$207 pricier homes ($47K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Berkey, OH 43504 88%271$91,731$260,300$203 cheaper homes ($78K less) · younger residents
North Salem, IN 46165 88%455$86,488$346,500$226 younger residents
Cleveland, MN 56017 88%766$88,056$330,900$211 Very close on everything we compare
Cobb, CA 95426 88%2,294$84,000$311,900$244 cheaper homes ($27K less)
Dublin, NH 03444 87%337$104,773$429,600$219 pricier homes ($91K more)
Newfane, VT 05345 87%306$67,472$277,700$231 cheaper homes ($61K less)

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.