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 Swansea, MA 02777

Swansea: median income $116,364, home value $445,000, $356/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Seekonk, MA 02771 95%8$120,613$482,800$314 pricier homes ($38K more)
Somerset, MA 02726 92%3$111,046$419,000$345 cheaper homes ($26K less) · 6 min longer commute
Brick, NJ 08723 90%192$108,643$400,800$350 cheaper homes ($44K less) · larger
Oxford, MA 01540 89%42$110,579$376,100$302 cheaper homes ($69K less) · smaller
Hazlet, NJ 07730 89%180$125,338$478,600$375 pricier homes ($34K more) · 6 min longer commute
Auburn, MA 01501 88%45$116,762$400,800$299 cheaper homes ($44K less) · more apartments and townhomes
North Smithfield, RI 02896 88%23$108,983$457,400$295 more apartments and townhomes
East Longmeadow, MA 01028 87%70$106,424$379,200$259 cheaper homes ($66K less)
Leicester, MA 01524 87%50$102,099$436,200$278 smaller
Westport, MA 02790 87%11$97,250$507,900$350 pricier homes ($63K more) · older residents
Waterford, CT 06385 87%56$100,484$365,400$302 cheaper homes ($80K less)
North Haven, CT 06473 87%89$132,829$391,200$280 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Watertown, CT 06795 87%99$104,850$365,500$244 cheaper homes ($80K less)
Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 87%185$117,298$438,600$329 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Trenton, NJ 08620 87%210$105,368$373,800$307 cheaper homes ($71K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Bohemia, NY 11716 87%120$128,889$559,800$385 pricier homes ($115K more) · smaller · more apartments and townhomes
Centereach, NY 11720 87%114$134,898$518,600$391 pricier homes ($74K more) · larger · younger residents
Sparrows Point, MD 21219 87%325$110,438$384,600$243 cheaper homes ($60K less) · smaller
Damascus, OR 97089 87%2,534$123,689$633,600$300 pricier homes ($189K more) · newer homes
Southwick, MA 01077 86%83$120,462$397,500$282 cheaper homes ($48K less) · smaller · newer homes
Clinton, CT 06413 86%75$124,824$380,000$315 cheaper homes ($65K less) · older residents
Branchville, NJ 07826 86%187$116,598$392,200$289 cheaper homes ($53K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Newton, NJ 07860 86%192$110,045$367,100$283 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776 86%111$120,573$496,600$337 pricier homes ($52K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Selden, NY 11784 86%113$104,369$460,300$365 larger · younger residents · 6 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.

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