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 Carlisle, MA 01741

Carlisle: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,103,900, $411/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Mendham, NJ 07945 88%207$250,000+*$931,100$389 cheaper homes ($173K less) · larger
Great Falls, VA 22066 88%395$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($206K more) · larger
Armonk, NY 10504 87%155$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 pricier homes ($139K more) · more walkable
Gladwyne, PA 19035 87%267$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 pricier homes ($373K more)
Saddle River, NJ 07458 85%175$244,022$1,188,500$501 pricier homes ($85K more) · larger
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 85%174$213,981$946,400$468 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($158K less) · more walkable
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 84%181$236,023$1,265,000$456 pricier homes ($161K more) · larger · more walkable
Easton, CT 06612 83%133$222,604$783,100$323 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($321K less)
Bedford, NY 10506 83%149$250,000+*$1,175,500$528 pricier homes ($72K more) · 9 min longer commute
South Salem, NY 10590 83%143$211,734$795,600$409 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($308K less)
Wilton, CT 06897 82%141$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($175K less) · larger
Pound Ridge, NY 10576 82%146$250,000+*$1,059,800$483 cheaper homes ($44K less) · older residents · 7 min longer commute
Highland, MD 20777 82%373$226,146$861,900$282 cheaper homes ($242K less) · smaller
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 82%406$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 cheaper homes ($82K less) · larger · newer homes
Chester, NJ 07930 81%210$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($333K less) · larger
Weston, CT 06883 79%138$250,000+*$996,700$396 cheaper homes ($107K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Towaco, NJ 07082 79%190$205,023$702,900$410 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($401K less)
Glenwood, MD 21738 79%371$250,000+*$914,300$268 cheaper homes ($190K less) · newer homes
Martinsville, NJ 08836 78%213$229,726$743,700$376 cheaper homes ($360K less) · younger residents
Demarest, NJ 07627 77%173$208,036$1,114,600$608 lower income ($42K less) · 8 min longer commute
Skillman, NJ 08558 77%226$236,016$910,200$383 cheaper homes ($194K less) · 5 min longer commute · newer homes
Katonah, NY 10536 77%148$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($236K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Lake Forest, IL 60045 77%841$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($180K less) · larger · more walkable
Millington, NJ 07946 75%208$208,587$801,700$417 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($302K less) · smaller
Clarksville, MD 21029 75%371$243,542$912,100$285 cheaper homes ($192K less) · larger · newer homes

* 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.