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 Dover, MA 02030

Dover: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,340,300, $464/sq ft, 35-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Armonk, NY 10504 88%146$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 cheaper homes ($97K less)
Gladwyne, PA 19035 88%257$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 pricier homes ($137K more) · smaller · more renters
Saddle River, NJ 07458 86%167$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($152K less) · larger
Great Falls, VA 22066 86%387$250,000+*$1,310,200$361 cheaper homes ($30K less) · larger · newer homes
Mendham, NJ 07945 85%199$250,000+*$931,100$389 cheaper homes ($409K less) · larger · 5 min longer commute
Bedford, NY 10506 85%141$250,000+*$1,175,500$528 cheaper homes ($165K less) · 10 min longer commute
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 84%173$236,023$1,265,000$456 cheaper homes ($75K less) · larger · newer homes
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 84%166$213,981$946,400$468 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($394K less)
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 84%147$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 pricier homes ($301K more) · smaller
Pound Ridge, NY 10576 82%138$250,000+*$1,059,800$483 cheaper homes ($281K less) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
Wilton, CT 06897 80%132$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($412K less) · larger
Demarest, NJ 07627 80%164$208,036$1,114,600$608 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($226K less) · 9 min longer commute
Little Silver, NJ 07739 79%194$240,853$955,900$612 cheaper homes ($384K less) · more walkable · older homes
South Salem, NY 10590 79%135$211,734$795,600$409 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($545K less)
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 78%183$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 cheaper homes ($257K less) · smaller · more walkable
Easton, CT 06612 77%124$222,604$783,100$323 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($557K less)
Martinsville, NJ 08836 77%204$229,726$743,700$376 cheaper homes ($597K less) · smaller · younger residents
Katonah, NY 10536 77%140$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($473K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Fairfax Station, VA 22039 77%397$250,000+*$1,021,500$309 cheaper homes ($319K less) · larger · newer homes
Weston, CT 06883 76%128$250,000+*$996,700$396 cheaper homes ($344K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Chester, NJ 07930 76%202$240,954$771,200$361 cheaper homes ($569K less)
Highland, MD 20777 75%365$226,146$861,900$282 cheaper homes ($478K less) · smaller · newer homes
Alexandria, VA 22308 75%388$212,545$914,400$420 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($426K less) · larger
Norwalk, CT 06853 74%137$250,000+*$1,610,200$752 pricier homes ($270K more) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 74%188$250,000+*$917,000$440 cheaper homes ($423K less) · more walkable · older 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.