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, MA 02482

Wellesley: median income $226,250, home value $1,352,500, $680/sq ft, 29-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Bethesda, MD 20816 92%382$232,656$1,217,200$495 cheaper homes ($135K less) · larger
Southport, CT 06890 87%130$218,841$1,212,500$550 cheaper homes ($140K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22205 87%386$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($25K less) · cheaper homes ($260K less) · larger
Winnetka, IL 60093 86%841$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($175K less) · larger
Moraga, CA 94556 86%2,665$215,720$1,659,600$767 pricier homes ($307K more) · less walkable
Old Greenwich, CT 06870 85%146$250,000+*$1,788,700$952 pricier homes ($436K more)
Chatham, NJ 07928 84%193$220,982$1,024,100$676 cheaper homes ($328K less) · larger · 7 min longer commute
Arlington, VA 22207 84%385$245,745$1,257,900$511 cheaper homes ($95K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Bethesda, MD 20817 83%382$249,332$1,183,600$422 cheaper homes ($169K less) · larger
Mc Lean, VA 22101 83%386$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 pricier homes ($97K more) · larger · newer homes
Corte Madera, CA 94925 83%2,682$232,763$1,755,200$1,066 pricier homes ($403K more)
Lafayette, CA 94549 82%2,663$234,516$2M+*$855 pricier homes ($648K more) · larger · less walkable
Walnut Creek, CA 94598 81%2,658$186,225$1,339,900$665 lower income ($40K less) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06831 80%149$227,159$1,696,000$735 pricier homes ($344K more) · less walkable
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 80%170$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($260K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 79%171$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($461K less) · larger · 6 min longer commute
Charlotte, NC 28207 79%709$217,204$1,409,300$595 pricier homes ($57K more) · 8 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Encino, CA 91436 79%2,588$177,981$2M+*$766 lower income ($48K less) · pricier homes ($648K more)
Cos Cob, CT 06807 78%146$192,115$1,443,200$722 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($91K more)
Glencoe, IL 60022 78%841$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 pricier homes ($40K more) · 8 min longer commute · more single-family homes
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 77%167$213,981$946,400$468 cheaper homes ($406K less) · smaller · less walkable
Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 77%2,593$189,713$2M+*$1,150 lower income ($37K less) · pricier homes ($648K more) · larger
Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 77%2,595$215,925$2M+*$961 pricier homes ($648K more) · larger · older residents
Mercer Island, WA 98040 77%2,472$219,069$2M+*$799 pricier homes ($648K more) · larger · more renters
New Canaan, CT 06840 76%138$250,000+*$1,611,900$654 pricier homes ($259K more) · larger · 10 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.