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 Lower Falls, MA 02462

Newton Lower Falls: median income $216,339, home value $1,210,700, $500/sq ft, 25-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Woodacre, CA 94973 73%2,688$231,094$1,076,300$499 cheaper homes ($134K less) · older residents · more homeowners
East Norwich, NY 11732 68%156$148,965$780,800$545 lower income ($67K less) · cheaper homes ($430K less) · larger
Glen Ellen, CA 95442 68%2,672$164,750$1,328,100$734 lower income ($52K less) · pricier homes ($117K more) · larger
Gladstone, NJ 07934 66%209$245,429$845,500$451 higher income ($29K more) · cheaper homes ($365K less) · more homeowners
Carnelian Bay, CA 96140 66%2,528$181,875$932,200$606 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($279K less) · younger residents
Brielle, NJ 08730 65%212$172,250$849,100$641 lower income ($44K less) · cheaper homes ($362K less) · larger
Fairfax, CA 94930 64%2,686$145,362$1,170,000$732 lower income ($71K less) · cheaper homes ($41K less) · larger
Park Ridge, NJ 07656 62%169$171,029$706,200$429 lower income ($45K less) · cheaper homes ($505K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22213 61%390$199,306$1,064,500$507 cheaper homes ($146K less) · larger · younger residents
Montara, CA 94037 61%2,694$233,826$1,580,700$685 pricier homes ($370K more) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Cos Cob, CT 06807 60%149$192,115$1,443,200$722 pricier homes ($233K more) · larger · younger residents
Southport, CT 06890 60%133$218,841$1,212,500$550 larger · younger residents · 10 min longer commute
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 60%172$230,611$1,401,600$625 pricier homes ($191K more) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Carle Place, NY 11514 60%164$151,964$722,500$534 lower income ($64K less) · cheaper homes ($488K less) · larger
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 59%188$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($128K less) · larger
Shrewsbury, NJ 07702 59%201$178,958$811,400$497 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($399K less) · larger
Arlington, VA 22205 59%390$201,094$1,092,800$542 cheaper homes ($118K less) · larger · younger residents
Palisades, NY 10964 58%165$187,396$767,500$353 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($443K less) · more homeowners
Old Bethpage, NY 11804 58%157$190,469$848,500$534 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($362K less) · larger
Merion Station, PA 19066 58%263$250,000+*$879,700$365 higher income ($34K more) · cheaper homes ($331K less) · larger
Berwyn, PA 19312 58%269$204,384$855,000$376 cheaper homes ($356K less) · larger · more homeowners
Mountainside, NJ 07092 57%197$211,538$810,300$543 cheaper homes ($400K less) · larger · 11 min longer commute
Closter, NJ 07624 57%168$190,469$871,300$541 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($339K less) · larger
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 57%171$213,981$946,400$468 cheaper homes ($264K less) · larger · younger residents
New Providence, NJ 07974 57%198$172,894$758,400$549 lower income ($43K less) · cheaper homes ($452K 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.