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 Fairfield, CT 06824

Fairfield: median income $193,300, home value $869,100, $526/sq ft, 33-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 90%68$183,655$718,200$475 cheaper homes ($151K less)
Chatham, NJ 07928 90%66$220,982$1,024,100$676 higher income ($28K more) · pricier homes ($155K more) · smaller
Pleasantville, NY 10570 89%27$183,833$862,300$470 smaller
Reading, MA 01867 88%145$165,912$809,000$473 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($60K less) · older residents
Westwood, NJ 07675 88%40$183,154$719,400$453 cheaper homes ($150K less)
Westwood, MA 02090 87%128$223,125$1,041,500$493 higher income ($30K more) · pricier homes ($172K more) · smaller
Westfield, NJ 07090 87%67$232,629$953,400$574 higher income ($39K more) · pricier homes ($84K more)
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 87%46$208,211$891,200$658 more walkable
Milton, MA 02186 86%136$188,033$933,200$547 pricier homes ($64K more) · more walkable · older homes
Wyckoff, NJ 07481 86%48$203,988$925,700$502 pricier homes ($57K more) · smaller · older residents
Andover, MA 01810 85%149$172,606$855,600$412 older residents · newer homes
Huntington, NY 11743 85%22$183,187$783,100$492 cheaper homes ($86K less) · older residents · 6 min longer commute
Wayland, MA 01778 84%128$219,375$977,300$443 higher income ($26K more) · pricier homes ($108K more) · smaller
Livingston, NJ 07039 84%61$229,806$821,100$558 higher income ($37K more) · cheaper homes ($48K less) · older residents
Closter, NJ 07624 84%38$190,469$871,300$541 smaller
Medfield, MA 02052 83%123$235,800$911,100$416 higher income ($43K more) · pricier homes ($42K more) · smaller
Needham, MA 02492 83%129$226,645$1,218,800$564 higher income ($33K more) · pricier homes ($350K more) · smaller
Syosset, NY 11791 83%27$202,962$937,700$606 pricier homes ($69K more) · 7 min longer commute
Lynnfield, MA 01940 82%149$173,214$905,400$418 pricier homes ($36K more) · smaller
Sharon, MA 02067 82%126$192,314$736,100$381 cheaper homes ($133K less) · smaller · 6 min longer commute
Fairfax, VA 22032 82%268$178,394$799,200$361 cheaper homes ($70K less) · newer homes
Winchester, MA 01890 81%141$230,198$1,215,200$534 higher income ($37K more) · pricier homes ($346K more) · smaller
Kensington, MD 20895 81%250$173,625$781,500$396 cheaper homes ($88K less) · smaller · more walkable
Alexandria, VA 22308 81%262$212,545$914,400$420 pricier homes ($45K more) · smaller · more single-family homes
Norwell, MA 02061 80%144$188,699$865,700$425 smaller · less walkable

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.