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 Harvard, MA 01451

Harvard: median income $214,792, home value $856,200, $349/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Easton, CT 06612 94%123$222,604$783,100$323 cheaper homes ($73K less)
Chester, NJ 07930 93%199$240,954$771,200$361 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($85K less) · larger
Millington, NJ 07946 92%198$208,587$801,700$417 cheaper homes ($55K less) · smaller
South Salem, NY 10590 92%133$211,734$795,600$409 cheaper homes ($61K less) · older residents
Martinsville, NJ 08836 91%202$229,726$743,700$376 cheaper homes ($113K less)
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 90%164$213,981$946,400$468 pricier homes ($90K more)
Highland, MD 20777 90%363$226,146$861,900$282 smaller
Towaco, NJ 07082 87%179$205,023$702,900$410 cheaper homes ($153K less) · older residents
Brookeville, MD 20833 87%367$204,375$797,100$284 cheaper homes ($59K less)
Wilton, CT 06897 85%131$242,199$928,800$449 higher income ($27K more) · pricier homes ($73K more) · larger
Warren, NJ 07059 85%199$212,479$921,500$440 pricier homes ($65K more) · larger
Saddle River, NJ 07458 85%164$244,022$1,188,500$501 higher income ($29K more) · pricier homes ($332K more) · larger
Clifton, VA 20124 85%398$221,060$884,800$300 pricier homes ($29K more) · larger · older residents
South Glastonbury, CT 06073 84%77$201,477$560,900$270 cheaper homes ($295K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 84%203$198,994$917,200$474 pricier homes ($61K more) · larger · older residents
Glenwood, MD 21738 84%361$250,000+*$914,300$268 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($58K more) · newer homes
Lake Forest, IL 60045 84%830$233,125$923,500$404 pricier homes ($67K more) · larger
Mendham, NJ 07945 83%196$250,000+*$931,100$389 higher income ($35K more) · pricier homes ($75K more) · larger
Austin, TX 78733 83%1,676$206,368$1,008,600$407 pricier homes ($152K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Harrington Park, NJ 07640 82%162$180,500$776,900$433 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($79K less) · older residents
Lincroft, NJ 07738 82%199$189,000$807,300$470 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($49K less) · more walkable
Bernardsville, NJ 07924 82%198$236,042$785,100$472 cheaper homes ($71K less) · more walkable · older homes
Kendall Park, NJ 08824 82%211$174,776$628,000$360 lower income ($40K less) · cheaper homes ($228K less) · larger
Dayton, MD 21036 82%362$218,036$881,300$264 pricier homes ($25K more) · smaller · older residents
Pittstown, NJ 08867 81%219$204,583$601,600$276 cheaper homes ($255K less)

* 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.