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 Ghent, NY 12075

Ghent: median income $98,047, home value $422,900, $253/sq ft, 26-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Dublin, NH 03444 95%91$104,773$429,600$219 smaller
Northford, CT 06472 95%77$105,729$405,200$264 larger
Kempton, PA 19529 94%162$94,286$385,900$207 cheaper homes ($37K less)
Galena, MD 21635 94%236$101,618$402,000$258 smaller
Franksville, WI 53126 94%730$101,206$386,300$239 cheaper homes ($37K less) · larger
Black Earth, WI 53515 94%818$92,625$361,300$218 cheaper homes ($62K less)
Mazomanie, WI 53560 94%819$98,409$358,000$228 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Pomfret Center, CT 06259 93%91$108,476$401,700$267 Very close on everything we compare
Morris, CT 06763 93%49$109,853$394,200$257 cheaper homes ($29K less) · smaller
Oley, PA 19547 93%172$89,948$357,900$213 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Alexandria, OH 43001 93%490$93,804$387,400$216 cheaper homes ($36K less)
Hampden, MA 01036 92%64$104,536$358,200$279 cheaper homes ($65K less) · larger
Westminster, MA 01473 92%90$106,331$422,000$302 larger
Cedar, MI 49621 92%633$95,446$396,600$278 cheaper homes ($26K less) · newer homes
Bozrah, CT 06334 91%92$107,969$310,400$236 cheaper homes ($113K less)
Middlefield, CT 06455 91%72$104,180$388,700$274 cheaper homes ($34K less)
Columbia, NJ 07832 91%119$106,424$355,200$237 cheaper homes ($68K less) · 6 min longer commute
Cambridge, WI 53523 91%782$102,188$345,300$219 cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Madison Lake, MN 56063 91%1,021$102,391$416,300$297 newer homes
Lake Park, MN 56554 91%1,142$94,792$376,400$307 cheaper homes ($47K less)
Northfield, MA 01360 90%67$103,375$375,800$206 cheaper homes ($47K less) · 5 min longer commute
Readfield, ME 04355 90%236$86,504$326,400$223 cheaper homes ($97K less)
New Hartford, CT 06057 90%45$117,906$380,200$284 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Lebanon, CT 06249 90%86$109,135$345,900$216 cheaper homes ($77K less) · larger
Zionsville, PA 18092 90%160$112,721$422,200$219 Very close on everything we compare

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.