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.

Reset

Towns most like Newton Highlands, MA 02461

Newton Highlands: median income $224,000, home value $1,255,400, $684/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Washington, DC 20015 91%385$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($26K more) · larger
Oakland, CA 94618 85%2,675$201,780$1,753,100$855 pricier homes ($498K more) · larger
Arlington, VA 22205 84%391$201,094$1,092,800$542 cheaper homes ($163K less) · larger
Bethesda, MD 20816 83%387$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($38K less) · larger · newer homes
Larchmont, NY 10538 78%163$207,969$1,266,600$807 larger · 10 min longer commute
Pelham, NY 10803 77%166$215,208$978,600$646 cheaper homes ($277K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Corte Madera, CA 94925 75%2,687$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 pricier homes ($500K more) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98117 75%2,481$182,984$1,043,500$564 lower income ($41K less) · cheaper homes ($212K less) · larger
Millburn, NJ 07041 74%194$202,750$961,700$771 cheaper homes ($294K less) · 12 min longer commute
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 73%176$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($364K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Ardsley, NY 10502 73%163$250,000+*$845,700$584 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($410K less) · 8 min longer commute
Merion Station, PA 19066 73%264$250,000+*$879,700$365 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($376K less) · more homeowners
Winnetka, IL 60093 73%846$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($78K less) · larger
Berkeley, CA 94708 73%2,675$234,923$1,593,000$934 pricier homes ($338K more) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98199 72%2,482$180,789$1,198,700$629 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($57K less) · larger
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 71%151$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($533K more) · newer homes
Berkeley, CA 94707 71%2,676$212,776$1,649,300$828 pricier homes ($394K more) · larger · older residents
Arlington, VA 22207 70%390$245,745$1,257,900$511 larger · 5 min shorter commute · newer homes
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 69%187$247,361$833,600$671 cheaper homes ($422K less) · 7 min longer commute · more homeowners
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 69%175$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($163K less) · smaller
Narberth, PA 19072 69%264$172,550$819,700$372 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($436K less) · more apartments and townhomes
Seattle, WA 98112 69%2,478$171,572$1,549,100$681 lower income ($52K less) · pricier homes ($294K more) · larger
Southport, CT 06890 68%134$218,841$1,212,500$550 cheaper homes ($43K less) · 6 min longer commute · less walkable
Montclair, NJ 07043 68%185$250,000+*$975,200$650 higher income ($26K more) · cheaper homes ($280K less) · larger
Tenafly, NJ 07670 68%172$208,200$1,002,600$615 cheaper homes ($253K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute

* 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.