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 Sudbury, MA 01776

Sudbury: median income $236,509, home value $988,900, $409/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Wilton, CT 06897 96%132$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Lake Forest, IL 60045 94%838$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Saddle River, NJ 07458 93%166$244,022$1,188,500$501 pricier homes ($200K more) · smaller
Mendham, NJ 07945 90%198$250,000+*$931,100$389 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 89%172$236,023$1,265,000$456 pricier homes ($276K more) · smaller
Armonk, NY 10504 88%145$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 pricier homes ($254K more) · smaller
Hinsdale, IL 60521 88%846$249,200$1,032,800$405 pricier homes ($44K more) · more walkable
Warren, NJ 07059 87%200$212,479$921,500$440 cheaper homes ($67K less)
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 87%165$213,981$946,400$468 cheaper homes ($43K less) · smaller
Great Falls, VA 22066 87%386$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 pricier homes ($321K more)
Chester, NJ 07930 86%201$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($218K less) · smaller
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 86%397$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 pricier homes ($33K more) · newer homes
Belle Mead, NJ 08502 85%214$227,242$816,700$384 cheaper homes ($172K less) · smaller · newer homes
Clifton, VA 20124 85%399$221,060$884,800$300 cheaper homes ($104K less) · older residents · newer homes
Easton, CT 06612 84%124$222,604$783,100$323 cheaper homes ($206K less) · smaller
Ridgefield, CT 06877 83%130$179,219$836,200$399 lower income ($57K less) · cheaper homes ($153K less)
Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 83%195$202,944$785,300$504 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($204K less) · smaller
South Salem, NY 10590 82%134$211,734$795,600$409 cheaper homes ($193K less) · smaller · older residents
Potomac, MD 20854 82%380$250,000+*$1,165,400$370 pricier homes ($177K more) · larger · older residents
Clarksville, MD 21029 82%362$243,542$912,100$285 cheaper homes ($77K less) · newer homes
Alexandria, VA 22308 82%389$212,545$914,400$420 cheaper homes ($75K less) · more walkable · older homes
Katonah, NY 10536 81%139$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($121K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Western Springs, IL 60558 81%844$230,255$739,400$373 cheaper homes ($250K less) · more walkable · older homes
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 80%171$203,988$925,700$502 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($63K less) · more walkable
Colts Neck, NJ 07722 80%203$198,994$917,200$474 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($72K less) · smaller

* 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.