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 Norwalk, CT 06853

Norwalk: median income $250,000+*, home value $1,610,200, $752/sq ft, 41-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Short Hills, NJ 07078 86%52$250,000+*$1,679,200$723 pricier homes ($69K more) · larger
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724 86%15$250,000+*$1,641,000$736 pricier homes ($31K more) · 6 min shorter commute
Gladwyne, PA 19035 82%120$250,000+*$1,477,200$417 cheaper homes ($133K less) · 6 min shorter commute
Little Silver, NJ 07739 79%60$240,853$955,900$612 cheaper homes ($654K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Armonk, NY 10504 79%14$250,000+*$1,243,100$531 cheaper homes ($367K less) · larger · newer homes
Orinda, CA 94563 79%2,575$250,000+*$1,866,500$790 pricier homes ($256K more) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07423 78%35$250,000+*$1,092,500$624 cheaper homes ($518K less) · 7 min shorter commute · more walkable
Demarest, NJ 07627 78%28$208,036$1,114,600$608 lower income ($42K less) · cheaper homes ($496K less) · larger
Rumson, NJ 07760 78%57$226,635$1,338,400$858 cheaper homes ($272K less) · larger · newer homes
Bedford, NY 10506 78%13$250,000+*$1,175,500$528 cheaper homes ($435K less) · larger
Glencoe, IL 60022 78%743$250,000+*$1,392,900$503 cheaper homes ($217K less) · larger · more walkable
Fair Haven, NJ 07704 76%58$250,000+*$992,200$778 cheaper homes ($618K less) · larger · younger residents
Cohasset, MA 02025 75%158$199,306$1,318,900$546 lower income ($51K less) · cheaper homes ($291K less) · larger
Chappaqua, NY 10514 75%19$250,000+*$1,124,300$551 cheaper homes ($486K less) · larger · 8 min longer commute
Roslyn, NY 11576 75%22$216,250$1,214,400$643 lower income ($34K less) · cheaper homes ($396K less) · larger
Dover, MA 02030 74%137$250,000+*$1,340,300$464 cheaper homes ($270K less) · larger · 7 min shorter commute
Essex Fells, NJ 07021 74%47$250,000+*$1,083,000$582 cheaper homes ($527K less) · 11 min shorter commute
Pound Ridge, NY 10576 73%12$250,000+*$1,059,800$483 cheaper homes ($550K less) · larger · older residents
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 72%30$230,611$1,401,600$625 cheaper homes ($209K less) · larger · 5 min shorter commute
Manhasset, NY 11030 72%23$234,966$1,766,500$911 pricier homes ($156K more) · larger · more walkable
Sherborn, MA 01770 71%133$250,000+*$1,026,800$411 cheaper homes ($583K less) · 6 min shorter commute · less walkable
Mountain Lakes, NJ 07046 70%54$250,000+*$917,000$440 cheaper homes ($693K less) · 7 min shorter commute
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 70%32$213,981$946,400$468 lower income ($36K less) · cheaper homes ($664K less) · larger
Berkeley, CA 94708 70%2,579$234,923$1,593,000$934 larger · more walkable · older homes
Katonah, NY 10536 69%19$250,000+*$867,500$444 cheaper homes ($743K less) · larger

* 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.