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 Newton Center, MA 02459

Newton Center: median income $227,594, home value $1,450,900, $586/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethesda, MD 20816 92%389$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($234K less) · newer homes
Washington, DC 20015 91%386$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 cheaper homes ($205K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Arlington, VA 22205 91%393$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($358K less)
Winnetka, IL 60093 88%847$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($273K less) · newer homes
Arlington, VA 22207 86%391$245,745$1,257,900$511 cheaper homes ($193K less) · larger · newer homes
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 81%178$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($560K less) · 6 min longer commute
Oakland, CA 94618 81%2,676$201,780$1,753,100$855 lower income ($26K less) · pricier homes ($302K more) · more renters
Berkeley, CA 94707 80%2,677$212,776$1,649,300$828 pricier homes ($198K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Bethesda, MD 20817 78%389$249,332$1,183,600$422 cheaper homes ($267K less) · larger · newer homes
Berkeley, CA 94708 78%2,676$234,923$1,593,000$934 pricier homes ($142K more) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98117 78%2,482$182,984$1,043,500$564 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($407K less) · larger
Westfield, NJ 07090 77%201$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($498K less) · larger · younger residents
Glencoe, IL 60022 77%847$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 cheaper homes ($58K less) · smaller · 8 min longer commute
Garden City, NY 11530 76%169$228,143$994,300$733 cheaper homes ($457K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Scarsdale, NY 10583 75%164$250,000+*$1,183,200$648 cheaper homes ($268K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Larchmont, NY 10538 74%164$207,969$1,266,600$807 cheaper homes ($184K less) · 11 min longer commute
Merion Station, PA 19066 74%266$250,000+*$879,700$365 cheaper homes ($571K less) · smaller
Wilmette, IL 60091 74%845$189,909$807,200$457 lower income ($38K less) · cheaper homes ($644K less) · 6 min longer commute
Corte Madera, CA 94925 74%2,688$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 pricier homes ($304K more) · smaller · more renters
Mc Lean, VA 22101 73%392$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 larger · less walkable · newer homes
Encino, CA 91436 73%2,594$177,981$2M+*$766 lower income ($50K less) · pricier homes ($549K more) · newer homes
San Anselmo, CA 94960 73%2,689$185,170$1,674,500$991 lower income ($42K less) · pricier homes ($224K more)
Manhasset, NY 11030 72%168$234,966$1,766,500$911 pricier homes ($316K more) · 13 min longer commute
Charlotte, NC 28207 72%716$217,204$1,409,300$595 cheaper homes ($42K less) · smaller · 7 min shorter commute
San Francisco, CA 94127 72%2,690$214,167$1,847,400$1,205 pricier homes ($397K more)

* 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.