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 Waban, MA 02468

Waban: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,846,600, $619/sq ft, 27-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Kenilworth, IL 60043 83%843$250,000+*$1,560,300$534 cheaper homes ($286K less) · smaller · younger residents
Berkeley, CA 94707 82%2,674$212,776$1,649,300$828 lower income ($37K less) · cheaper homes ($197K less) · larger
Glencoe, IL 60022 78%844$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 cheaper homes ($454K less) · 9 min longer commute · newer homes
San Marino, CA 91108 75%2,573$204,847$2M+*$1,113 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($153K more) · larger
Berkeley, CA 94708 75%2,673$234,923$1,593,000$934 cheaper homes ($254K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 73%189$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 cheaper homes ($764K less) · smaller · less walkable
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 72%174$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($754K less) · younger residents · 6 min longer commute
Winnetka, IL 60093 69%844$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($669K less) · larger · newer homes
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 68%193$250,000+*$917,000$440 cheaper homes ($930K less) · 7 min longer commute
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 68%2,575$241,875$2M+*$1,007 pricier homes ($153K more) · larger · newer homes
Little Silver, NJ 07739 66%200$240,853$955,900$612 cheaper homes ($891K less) · 8 min longer commute · newer homes
Minneapolis, MN 55424 66%1,117$250,000+*$992,600$415 cheaper homes ($854K less) · larger · 9 min shorter commute
Orinda, CA 94563 66%2,669$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 larger · 9 min longer commute · less walkable
Ross, CA 94957 66%2,686$250,000+*$2M+*$1,516 pricier homes ($153K more) · smaller · younger residents
Bethesda, MD 20816 65%386$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($629K less) · larger · more renters
Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 63%186$247,361$833,600$671 cheaper homes ($1013K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Merion Station, PA 19066 63%264$250,000+*$879,700$365 cheaper homes ($967K less) · younger residents · more apartments and townhomes
Arlington, VA 22205 63%391$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($754K less) · larger
Riverside, CT 06878 62%150$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 pricier homes ($122K more) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 61%172$230,611$1,401,600$625 cheaper homes ($445K less) · 8 min longer commute · more renters
Haworth, NJ 07641 61%171$236,765$845,300$593 cheaper homes ($1001K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
New Rochelle, NY 10804 60%163$250,000+*$927,000$524 cheaper homes ($920K less) · larger · 12 min longer commute
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 59%150$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 cheaper homes ($58K less) · younger residents · 5 min longer commute
Manhasset, NY 11030 59%165$234,966$1,766,500$911 cheaper homes ($80K less) · larger · 13 min longer commute
Norwalk, CT 06853 58%143$250,000+*$1,610,200$752 cheaper homes ($236K less) · smaller · 14 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.