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 Wellesley Hills, MA 02481

Wellesley Hills: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,694,600, $672/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Darien, CT 06820 80%142$250,000+*$1,822,400$811 pricier homes ($128K more) · 11 min longer commute
Winnetka, IL 60093 80%842$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($517K less) · older residents
Bethesda, MD 20816 79%384$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($477K less) · older residents
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 78%2,573$241,875$2M+*$1,007 pricier homes ($305K more) · older residents
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 77%148$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 pricier homes ($94K more) · smaller · newer homes
Arlington, VA 22207 77%387$245,745$1,257,900$511 cheaper homes ($437K less) · larger · older residents
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 75%172$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($602K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22205 75%388$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($49K less) · cheaper homes ($602K less) · older residents
Glencoe, IL 60022 75%842$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 cheaper homes ($302K less) · smaller · older residents
Riverside, CT 06878 72%148$250,000+*$1,968,800$1,000 pricier homes ($274K more) · smaller · older residents
Chatham, NJ 07928 72%195$220,982$1,024,100$676 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($671K less) · 7 min longer commute
Lafayette, CA 94549 72%2,664$234,516$2M+*$855 pricier homes ($305K more) · larger · older residents
Orinda, CA 94563 72%2,667$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 pricier homes ($172K more) · older residents · 8 min longer commute
San Marino, CA 91108 70%2,571$204,847$2M+*$1,113 lower income ($45K less) · pricier homes ($305K more) · older residents
Short Hills, NJ 07078 69%192$250,000+*$1,679,200$723 15 min longer commute
Westfield, NJ 07090 69%196$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($741K less) · larger · 9 min longer commute
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 69%173$208,211$891,200$658 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($803K less) · larger
Moraga, CA 94556 69%2,666$215,720$1,659,600$767 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($35K less) · older residents
Bethesda, MD 20817 68%384$249,332$1,183,600$422 cheaper homes ($511K less) · larger · older residents
Berkeley, CA 94708 68%2,672$234,923$1,593,000$934 cheaper homes ($102K less) · older residents · 9 min longer commute
New Canaan, CT 06840 67%140$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 cheaper homes ($83K less) · older residents · 10 min longer commute
Mc Lean, VA 22101 67%387$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 cheaper homes ($245K less) · larger · older residents
Minneapolis, MN 55424 67%1,115$250,000+*$992,600$415 cheaper homes ($702K less) · smaller · older residents
Kenilworth, IL 60043 67%840$250,000+*$1,560,300$534 cheaper homes ($134K less) · smaller · 7 min longer commute
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 66%186$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 cheaper homes ($612K less) · smaller · older residents

* 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.