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 New Canaan, CT 06840

New Canaan: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,611,900, $654/sq ft, 38-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Moraga, CA 94556 89%2,569$215,720$1,659,600$767 lower income ($34K less) · pricier homes ($48K more) · 7 min shorter commute
Chatham, NJ 07928 88%56$220,982$1,024,100$676 lower income ($29K less) · cheaper homes ($588K less)
Cohasset, MA 02025 86%157$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($293K less) · smaller
Armonk, NY 10504 85%11$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 cheaper homes ($369K less) · smaller
Short Hills, NJ 07078 82%52$250,000+*$1,679,200$723 pricier homes ($67K more) · more single-family homes
Lafayette, CA 94549 82%2,567$234,516$2M+*$855 pricier homes ($388K more) · 9 min shorter commute
Saddle River, NJ 07458 81%32$244,022$1,188,500$501 cheaper homes ($423K less) · smaller · newer homes
Rye, NY 10580 81%16$250,000+*$1,906,900$805 pricier homes ($295K more) · more walkable
Danville, CA 94526 81%2,562$225,097$1,677,700$789 pricier homes ($66K more) · larger · 8 min shorter commute
Orinda, CA 94563 81%2,571$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 pricier homes ($255K more) · older residents · more single-family homes
Concord, MA 01742 80%142$195,125$1,218,100$517 lower income ($55K less) · cheaper homes ($394K less) · older residents
Sudbury, MA 01776 78%136$236,509$988,900$409 cheaper homes ($623K less)
Westwood, MA 02090 78%139$223,125$1,041,500$493 lower income ($27K less) · cheaper homes ($570K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Needham, MA 02492 78%140$226,645$1,218,800$564 cheaper homes ($393K less) · 10 min shorter commute
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 78%39$236,023$1,265,000$456 cheaper homes ($347K less) · smaller · newer homes
Rumson, NJ 07760 78%60$226,635$1,338,400$858 cheaper homes ($274K less) · smaller · older residents
Gladwyne, PA 19035 78%121$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 cheaper homes ($135K less) · smaller
Scarsdale, NY 10583 77%19$250,000+*$1,183,200$648 cheaper homes ($429K less) · larger · more walkable
Wayland, MA 01778 76%138$219,375$977,300$443 lower income ($31K less) · cheaper homes ($635K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Lexington, MA 02420 76%148$245,031$1,200,300$550 cheaper homes ($412K less) · 8 min shorter commute · more walkable
Wellesley, MA 02482 76%138$226,250$1,352,500$680 cheaper homes ($259K less) · smaller · 10 min shorter commute
Weston, MA 02493 76%141$250,000+*$1,694,400$578 pricier homes ($83K more) · smaller · 11 min shorter commute
Chappaqua, NY 10514 76%14$250,000+*$1,124,300$551 cheaper homes ($488K less) · smaller · 11 min longer commute
Danville, CA 94506 76%2,559$250,000+*$1,956,800$716 pricier homes ($345K more) · newer homes
Winchester, MA 01890 75%151$230,198$1,215,200$534 cheaper homes ($397K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more walkable

* 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.