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 02421

Lexington: median income $227,813, home value $1,205,700, $558/sq ft, 31-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethesda, MD 20816 90%391$232,656$1,217,200$495 Very close on everything we compare
Bethesda, MD 20817 89%391$249,332$1,183,600$422 larger
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 86%2,660$186,225$1,339,900$665 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($134K more) · larger
Mc Lean, VA 22101 84%395$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 pricier homes ($244K more) · larger
Southport, CT 06890 83%139$218,841$1,212,500$550 smaller
Arlington, VA 22205 83%395$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($113K less) · younger residents
Winnetka, IL 60093 83%844$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($28K less) · more homeowners
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 81%389$194,971$1,294,200$480 lower income ($33K less) · pricier homes ($89K more) · larger
Arlington, VA 22207 81%394$245,745$1,257,900$511 pricier homes ($52K more) · larger · younger residents
Tenafly, NJ 07670 80%176$208,200$1,002,600$615 cheaper homes ($203K less) · younger residents · 8 min longer commute
Westfield, NJ 07090 79%203$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($252K less) · larger · younger residents
Chatham, NJ 07928 79%202$220,982$1,024,100$676 cheaper homes ($182K less) · younger residents · less walkable
Wilmette, IL 60091 79%843$189,909$807,200$457 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($399K less) · larger
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 78%180$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($315K less) · younger residents · older homes
New Providence, NJ 07974 78%204$172,894$758,400$549 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($447K less)
Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 78%162$220,771$863,300$450 cheaper homes ($342K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Washington, DC 20015 78%389$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 pricier homes ($40K more) · older homes
Vienna, VA 22181 78%401$211,911$998,300$402 cheaper homes ($207K less) · younger residents · newer homes
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 78%2,598$179,469$1,612,000$781 lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($406K more) · larger
Corte Madera, CA 94925 78%2,684$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 pricier homes ($550K more) · smaller
Ardsley, NY 10502 77%167$250,000+*$845,700$584 cheaper homes ($360K less) · smaller · younger residents
Scarsdale, NY 10583 77%166$250,000+*$1,183,200$648 larger · 9 min longer commute · older homes
Charlotte, NC 28207 77%719$217,204$1,409,300$595 pricier homes ($204K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Alameda, CA 94502 77%2,676$180,938$1,204,200$658 lower income ($47K less) · newer homes
Moraga, CA 94556 77%2,667$215,720$1,659,600$767 pricier homes ($454K more) · younger residents · less walkable

* 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.