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.

Reset

Towns most like Norwalk, CT 06851

Norwalk: median income $111,341, home value $587,400, $407/sq ft, 28-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Amesbury, MA 01913 95%174$103,554$519,300$385 cheaper homes ($68K less) · smaller
Nanuet, NY 10954 95%32$116,332$533,000$383 cheaper homes ($54K less)
Danvers, MA 01923 94%161$125,395$644,200$428 pricier homes ($57K more)
Weymouth, MA 02188 93%147$107,335$594,000$396 smaller · 5 min longer commute
Hudson, MA 01749 92%129$103,400$496,800$357 cheaper homes ($91K less)
Stoneham, MA 02180 92%151$113,964$671,900$437 pricier homes ($85K more)
Bristol, RI 02809 92%117$97,764$485,000$387 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Red Bank, NJ 07701 92%64$112,143$584,500$472 5 min longer commute
Eatontown, NJ 07724 91%67$102,756$522,100$381 cheaper homes ($65K less)
Somerville, NJ 08876 91%77$122,884$485,100$359 cheaper homes ($102K less)
Suffern, NY 10901 91%37$108,041$542,000$370 cheaper homes ($45K less) · younger residents
Springfield, VA 22150 91%258$123,114$635,900$335 pricier homes ($49K more)
Norwood, MA 02062 90%135$107,030$651,700$432 pricier homes ($64K more)
North Attleboro, MA 02760 90%122$112,027$478,700$330 cheaper homes ($109K less)
Santa Rosa, CA 95405 90%2,587$118,299$788,000$455 pricier homes ($201K more)
Woburn, MA 01801 89%149$111,185$673,500$456 pricier homes ($86K more) · larger
Peabody, MA 01960 89%159$96,501$596,700$406 larger
Englewood, NJ 07631 89%34$102,571$544,100$428 cheaper homes ($43K less)
Glen Cove, NY 11542 89%22$93,242$702,400$499 pricier homes ($115K more)
Edison, NJ 08817 88%67$110,808$431,100$411 cheaper homes ($156K less) · larger
Amityville, NY 11701 88%31$117,033$499,500$442 cheaper homes ($88K less)
Annapolis, MD 21403 88%222$123,329$582,500$366 newer homes
Alexandria, VA 22309 88%257$107,376$567,200$327 Very close on everything we compare
Seattle, WA 98146 88%2,419$102,520$679,500$451 pricier homes ($92K more)
Tacoma, WA 98466 88%2,430$101,778$602,400$351 Very close on everything we compare

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.