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 Needham, MA 02492

Needham: median income $226,645, home value $1,218,800, $564/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Winnetka, IL 60093 91%844$250,000+*$1,177,800$482 cheaper homes ($41K less) · more walkable
Bethesda, MD 20817 88%384$249,332$1,183,600$422 cheaper homes ($35K less) · larger
Mc Lean, VA 22101 88%387$250,000+*$1,449,900$478 pricier homes ($231K more) · newer homes
Chatham, NJ 07928 87%195$220,982$1,024,100$676 cheaper homes ($195K less) · 7 min longer commute
Bethesda, MD 20816 87%384$232,656$1,217,200$495 more walkable
Alexandria, VA 22308 86%391$212,545$914,400$420 cheaper homes ($304K less) · smaller
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 85%175$203,988$925,700$502 cheaper homes ($293K less)
Arlington, VA 22207 85%386$245,745$1,257,900$511 pricier homes ($39K more) · larger · more walkable
Lake Forest, IL 60045 85%847$233,125$923,500$404 cheaper homes ($295K less) · newer homes
Fairfield, CT 06824 83%129$193,300$869,100$526 lower income ($33K less) · cheaper homes ($350K less) · larger
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 83%169$213,981$946,400$468 cheaper homes ($272K less) · smaller
Hinsdale, IL 60521 83%855$249,200$1,032,800$405 cheaper homes ($186K less) · newer homes
Arlington, VA 22205 82%388$201,094$1,092,800$542 lower income ($26K less) · cheaper homes ($126K less) · more walkable
Western Springs, IL 60558 82%854$230,255$739,400$373 cheaper homes ($479K less) · smaller
Moraga, CA 94556 82%2,668$215,720$1,659,600$767 pricier homes ($441K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Saddle River, NJ 07458 81%170$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($30K less) · smaller · 5 min longer commute
Bernardsville, NJ 07924 81%203$236,042$785,100$472 cheaper homes ($434K less) · smaller
Potomac, MD 20854 81%383$250,000+*$1,165,400$370 cheaper homes ($53K less) · larger · newer homes
Southport, CT 06890 80%131$218,841$1,212,500$550 smaller · 6 min longer commute
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 80%173$208,211$891,200$658 cheaper homes ($328K less) · 6 min longer commute · older homes
Bellevue, WA 98006 80%2,472$198,150$1,388,500$592 lower income ($28K less) · pricier homes ($170K more) · larger
Greenwich, CT 06831 79%150$227,159$1,696,000$735 pricier homes ($477K more)
Wilton, CT 06897 79%135$242,199$928,800$449 cheaper homes ($290K less) · 8 min longer commute · less walkable
Westfield, NJ 07090 79%196$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($265K less) · 8 min longer commute
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 79%172$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($126K less) · smaller · 5 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.