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 Highland, MD 20777

Highland: median income $226,146, home value $861,900, $282/sq ft, 32-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Easton, CT 06612 91%241$222,604$783,100$323 cheaper homes ($79K less) · larger
Harvard, MA 01451 90%363$214,792$856,200$349 larger
Chester, NJ 07930 90%164$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($91K less) · larger
Bolton, MA 01740 89%359$205,449$796,000$309 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger
Pittstown, NJ 08867 88%145$204,583$601,600$276 cheaper homes ($260K less) · larger
Waterford, VA 20197 87%35$190,703$1,080,200$310 lower income ($35K less) · pricier homes ($218K more) · smaller
Millington, NJ 07946 86%166$208,587$801,700$417 cheaper homes ($60K less) · older homes
Thornton, PA 19373 86%91$192,708$755,800$277 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($106K less) · younger residents
Dunstable, MA 01827 85%374$208,512$674,000$306 cheaper homes ($188K less)
Boxford, MA 01921 85%394$200,672$904,200$357 lower income ($25K less) · pricier homes ($42K more) · larger
South Salem, NY 10590 85%231$211,734$795,600$409 cheaper homes ($66K less) · larger · older homes
Martinsville, NJ 08836 84%161$229,726$743,700$376 cheaper homes ($118K less) · younger residents · older homes
Southborough, MA 01772 83%356$201,568$841,700$354 larger
West Newbury, MA 01985 83%400$179,500$808,200$387 lower income ($47K less) · cheaper homes ($54K less)
Newfields, NH 03856 83%410$197,885$646,400$371 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($216K less) · smaller
Towaco, NJ 07082 83%184$205,023$702,900$410 cheaper homes ($159K less) · larger
Carlisle, MA 01741 82%373$250,000+*$1,103,900$411 pricier homes ($242K more) · larger
Millstone Township, NJ 08510 82%142$225,966$740,700$318 cheaper homes ($121K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Clifton, VA 20124 82%36$221,060$884,800$300 larger · more apartments and townhomes
Hamilton, VA 20158 82%37$211,522$765,800$291 cheaper homes ($96K less) · larger · more renters
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 82%34$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 pricier homes ($160K more) · larger
Sherborn, MA 01770 80%361$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 pricier homes ($165K more) · older homes
South Glastonbury, CT 06073 80%287$201,477$560,900$270 cheaper homes ($301K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 80%167$198,994$917,200$474 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($55K more) · larger
Califon, NJ 07830 80%156$180,852$656,400$297 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($206K less) · larger

* The Census Bureau doesn’t publish exact figures above $250,000 for household income, $2,000,000 for home values or $3,500 for monthly rent; it reports them as “or more.”

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.