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 Belmont, MA 02478

Belmont: median income $183,137, home value $1,159,000, $601/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Washington, DC 20016 90%391$178,920$1,216,000$565 pricier homes ($57K more) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98112 87%2,477$171,572$1,549,100$681 pricier homes ($390K more) · 5 min shorter commute
Alexandria, VA 22301 82%395$194,819$1,027,900$616 cheaper homes ($131K less) · smaller · younger residents
Narberth, PA 19072 81%268$172,550$819,700$372 cheaper homes ($339K less) · smaller
Oakland, CA 94618 81%2,676$201,780$1,753,100$855 pricier homes ($594K more) · smaller
Summit, NJ 07901 80%202$179,701$987,900$715 cheaper homes ($171K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Chevy Chase, MD 20815 80%389$194,971$1,294,200$480 pricier homes ($135K more) · newer homes
Oakland, CA 94611 80%2,675$180,549$1,537,700$751 pricier homes ($379K more) · newer homes
Seattle, WA 98199 80%2,481$180,789$1,198,700$629 pricier homes ($40K more) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Albany, CA 94706 79%2,677$143,398$1,203,500$836 lower income ($40K less) · pricier homes ($45K more) · newer homes
Washington, DC 20015 78%389$250,000+*$1,245,600$557 higher income ($67K more) · pricier homes ($87K more) · smaller
Berkeley, CA 94705 77%2,676$167,970$1,992,800$899 pricier homes ($834K more) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98117 77%2,480$182,984$1,043,500$564 cheaper homes ($116K less) · more single-family homes · newer homes
Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522 76%168$165,417$765,500$537 cheaper homes ($394K less) · smaller · newer homes
South Orange, NJ 07079 73%196$195,417$866,600$473 cheaper homes ($292K less) · younger residents · 9 min longer commute
Falls Church, VA 22046 73%397$168,882$1,014,700$476 cheaper homes ($144K less) · newer homes
Larchmont, NY 10538 72%167$207,969$1,266,600$807 pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller · 10 min longer commute
Pelham, NY 10803 72%170$215,208$978,600$646 higher income ($32K more) · cheaper homes ($180K less) · smaller
Seattle, WA 98115 72%2,476$156,142$1,094,600$578 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($64K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06830 70%157$146,654$1,660,700$858 lower income ($36K less) · pricier homes ($502K more) · newer homes
White Plains, NY 10605 70%164$148,982$787,500$459 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($372K less) · more homeowners
Maplewood, NJ 07040 69%197$173,500$720,700$599 cheaper homes ($438K less) · 9 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Port Washington, NY 11050 69%169$154,225$1,035,400$718 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($124K less) · 7 min longer commute
Seattle, WA 98136 69%2,482$149,269$925,000$544 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($234K less) · smaller
Millburn, NJ 07041 68%199$202,750$961,700$771 cheaper homes ($197K less) · smaller · 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.