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 Billerica, MA 01821

Billerica: median income $149,042, home value $615,100, $382/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Tewksbury, MA 01876 92%4$130,204$577,000$382 cheaper homes ($38K less)
Deer Park, NY 11729 90%164$136,939$539,700$455 cheaper homes ($75K less) · younger residents
Hauppauge, NY 11788 90%156$149,726$653,900$414 pricier homes ($39K more) · smaller
Chelmsford, MA 01824 89%6$140,050$619,700$384 Very close on everything we compare
Rockaway, NJ 07866 89%202$131,403$457,400$329 cheaper homes ($158K less)
Bohemia, NY 11716 89%156$128,889$559,800$385 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
Clark, NJ 07066 88%207$133,504$609,600$413 smaller
East Islip, NY 11730 88%161$145,652$594,200$444 smaller · older homes
Wilmington, MA 01887 87%4$168,152$680,500$422 pricier homes ($65K more)
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 87%146$120,573$496,600$337 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($119K less)
Islip, NY 11751 86%162$116,559$563,100$434 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($52K less) · smaller
Miller Place, NY 11764 86%143$146,813$615,900$377 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Saint James, NY 11780 86%152$144,577$723,200$466 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller
Riverside, CA 92506 86%2,540$121,459$669,500$384 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($54K more)
Shingle Springs, CA 95682 86%2,584$122,436$722,800$332 lower income ($27K less) · pricier homes ($108K more) · newer homes
North Billerica, MA 01862 85%3$138,571$586,200$367 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Middletown, NJ 07748 85%210$152,981$600,600$413 8 min longer commute
Pearl River, NY 10965 85%176$132,660$596,700$395 smaller · older homes
Fair Oaks, CA 95628 85%2,599$115,803$651,400$340 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($36K more)
Burlington, MA 01803 84%4$146,436$740,600$441 pricier homes ($126K more)
Dracut, MA 01826 84%9$114,196$473,800$353 lower income ($35K less) · cheaper homes ($141K less)
Seekonk, MA 02771 84%49$120,613$482,800$314 lower income ($28K less) · cheaper homes ($132K less) · smaller
Cumberland, RI 02864 84%43$117,522$431,000$281 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($184K less)
Holbrook, NY 11741 84%153$144,346$536,900$403 cheaper homes ($78K less) · 9 min longer commute
Huntington Station, NY 11746 84%162$164,589$695,200$444 pricier homes ($80K more) · larger · 7 min longer commute

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.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Columbus, OH? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched