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 Lexington, MA 02420

Lexington: median income $245,031, home value $1,200,300, $550/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Winnetka, IL 60093 95%844$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 Very close on everything we compare
Bethesda, MD 20816 94%392$232,656$1,217,200$495 Very close on everything we compare
Bethesda, MD 20817 93%392$249,332$1,183,600$422 larger
Mc Lean, VA 22101 90%396$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 pricier homes ($250K more) · larger · newer homes
Southport, CT 06890 87%140$218,841$1,212,500$550 lower income ($26K less) · smaller
Arlington, VA 22207 87%395$245,745$1,257,900$511 pricier homes ($58K more) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Glencoe, IL 60022 86%845$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 pricier homes ($193K more) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Chatham, NJ 07928 85%203$220,982$1,024,100$676 cheaper homes ($176K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22205 85%396$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($108K less) · older homes
Hinsdale, IL 60521 84%856$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($168K less) · newer homes
Westfield, NJ 07090 83%204$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($247K less) · larger · younger residents
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 83%180$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($108K less) · smaller
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 82%181$208,211$891,200$658 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($309K less) · larger
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 82%182$203,988$925,700$502 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($275K less)
Little Silver, NJ 07739 82%207$240,853$955,900$612 cheaper homes ($244K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Lake Forest, IL 60045 82%848$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($277K less) · less walkable · newer homes
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 81%177$213,981$946,400$468 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($254K less) · smaller
Potomac, MD 20854 81%392$250,000+*$1,165,400$370 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger · newer homes
Livingston, NJ 07039 80%197$229,806$821,100$558 cheaper homes ($379K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Ardsley, NY 10502 80%168$250,000+*$845,700$584 cheaper homes ($355K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
New Rochelle, NY 10804 80%169$250,000+*$927,000$524 cheaper homes ($273K less) · 9 min longer commute
Alexandria, VA 22308 80%400$212,545$914,400$420 lower income ($32K less) · cheaper homes ($286K less) · more single-family homes
Miami, FL 33158 80%1,272$201,597$1,026,600$599 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($174K less) · smaller
Berwyn, PA 19312 79%276$204,384$855,000$376 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($345K less)
Wilmette, IL 60091 79%843$189,909$807,200$457 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($393K less) · larger

* 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.