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 Darien, CT 06820

Darien: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,822,400, $811/sq ft, 39-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Short Hills, NJ 07078 92%50$250,000+*$1,679,200$723 cheaper homes ($143K less) · smaller
Manhasset, NY 11030 88%22$234,966$1,766,500$911 cheaper homes ($56K less) · more walkable
Orinda, CA 94563 87%2,572$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 pricier homes ($44K more) · older residents
Rye, NY 10580 85%13$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 pricier homes ($85K more) · more apartments and townhomes
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481 80%142$250,000+*$1,694,600$672 cheaper homes ($128K less) · 11 min shorter commute
Chatham, NJ 07928 80%54$220,982$1,024,100$676 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($798K less)
Scarsdale, NY 10583 80%17$250,000+*$1,183,200$648 cheaper homes ($639K less) · larger
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011 79%2,464$241,875$2M+*$1,007 pricier homes ($178K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Lafayette, CA 94549 78%2,569$234,516$2M+*$855 pricier homes ($178K more) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
Berkeley, CA 94708 78%2,576$234,923$1,593,000$934 cheaper homes ($229K less) · smaller · older residents
Westfield, NJ 07090 77%54$232,629$953,400$574 cheaper homes ($869K less)
Glencoe, IL 60022 77%740$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 cheaper homes ($430K less) · smaller
Moraga, CA 94556 76%2,571$215,720$1,659,600$767 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($163K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Wellesley, MA 02482 75%141$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($470K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Needham, MA 02492 74%142$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($604K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Tenafly, NJ 07670 74%27$208,200$1,002,600$615 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($820K less)
Winchester, MA 01890 73%154$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($607K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more apartments and townhomes
Lexington, MA 02420 73%151$245,031$1,200,300$550 cheaper homes ($622K less) · older residents · 9 min shorter commute
San Jose, CA 95120 73%2,573$250,000+*$2M+*$983 pricier homes ($178K more) · larger · older residents
Montclair, NJ 07043 72%41$250,000+*$975,200$650 cheaper homes ($847K less) · smaller · older homes
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 72%33$208,211$891,200$658 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($931K less)
Rumson, NJ 07760 72%56$226,635$1,338,400$858 cheaper homes ($484K less) · smaller · older residents
Roslyn, NY 11576 72%21$216,250$1,214,400$643 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($608K less) · smaller
Cohasset, MA 02025 71%160$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($504K less) · smaller
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 71%33$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($730K less) · smaller

* 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.